Fighting Syndrome (Stand Alone Tales Book 13) Read online

  She nodded. “Lead the way.”

  He smiled slightly and hiked out through the wide hall.

  “This is a Sandman design.” She glanced around.

  “It is. You recognize it?”

  “From images. You and Tonos are related?”

  He blinked and smiled slightly. “Cousins. How did you guess?”

  “I read the name over your shoulder during the signing. How long are you going to let Weller call you Asshat?”

  He blinked. “Until I want her to say my name.”

  “Are you going to sneak in on her dreams?”

  Colour tinted his cheeks. “That is a personal matter.”

  “Yeah, so is invading her dreams. Keep that in your thoughts.” She made sure her tone was stern. It was strange to be moving through a ship as it moved through a gate, but when they came into normal space on the other side, she gasped and grabbed the wall as the ship was rocked by an attack.

  Ebra grabbed him. “Where is the gun deck?”

  He scowled. “You need to get to his highness’s side.”

  “Not if we are in pieces. I am a very good shot.” She smiled. “So, which way?”

  He frowned but pointed down the hall. “Steps, up two levels. To the left. You will see the icons.”

  She grinned and ran for the stairs as the ship shook again. This was just what she needed.

  She followed the directions and ignored the summons on the ship-wide communicator. “Princess Ebra, get your ass to the command center.”

  She hummed and found one of the gunner stations that wasn’t manned yet and slid into the seat, putting on the halo and bringing up the screens. As soon as she was settled, she started firing. Every hit sent a ship spinning away incapacitated.

  She giggled and continued her swath of destruction. It was really quite a lot of fun. She had only ever used the simulators at the abbey before. Using her skills in a real-world application was exhilarating. Her training was finally paying off.

  * * * *

  Tonos watched the incoming ships being critically hit and drifting into each other. “Who is on that gun?”

  Sister Weller started snickering. “Who do you think? This is what she was trained for. Thousands of days of training to control the impulses created by her DNA.”

  Tonos watched as the surgical precision cleared a path for his vessel. He shook his head slightly and looked at his cousin. “So, I married a gunner.”

  Weller snickered again. “It isn’t just guns.”

  Tonos looked at her. “What else?”

  “If you can gut, injure, or blow something up, she has the training to do it. She was born to fight. You can either help her or get out of her way. Either way, it is going to happen.”

  Tonos’s cousin entered and caught the tail end. “What happens if she doesn’t have an outlet?”

  Sister Weller grinned wide. “She finds one. She has no choice. That is why she was sent to the abbey.”

  Tonos blinked. “I thought that the abbey was for meditation and education.”

  “It is, but we don’t raise delicate ladies. We are not those kinds of nuns.” The sister was very smug, and she had the confidence of someone who could defend herself if she wanted to or just for personal entertainment.

  Tonos looked at his cousin. “Can I go back and have second thoughts? I don’t have them now, but I really feel that I should have had them at some point.”

  His cousin snorted and laughed. “Time for that later. I would suggest that you let your bride know who are friends and who are enemies. With her aim, it is going to be important in a few minutes.”

  Tonos got on it. Ebra looked delicate and adorable, but he was beginning to have a sense of smug pride that he had taken her as his bride. It might be a rough ride, but it was going to be interesting as hell.

  Chapter Six

  Once the space outside the gate was clear, she checked her com. The link to the command deck was flashing. She grinned and activated the open com. “Yes, Your Highness?”

  “What the hell was that, Ebra?” Tonos’s voice was wryly amused.

  “I would say it was some damned fine shooting.”

  “I would agree, but I would like you to head to the command deck now.”

  “I would have to say that the incoming ships were of primary concern.” She kept her voice polite. “I would respectfully like to remain here to defend the vessel.”

  There was a pause. “Fine. Authorization to run the main gun. Report to the gunner station. They will have a space for you at the main gun.”

  She chuckled. “You have been talking to Weller.”

  “I can take advantage of your skills.” Tonos’s voice vibrated through the com, and she fanned herself.

  His voice was amused when he said, “Ebra?”

  “Yes?”

  “There is a video link to the command deck.”

  She blushed, cleared her throat, and got to her feet. “Heading to the forward gun deck.”

  She left her station and went past a few of the other gunners who stared as she passed. She gave them a bright smile and waved as she headed to the gangway that would take her the length of the ship. Well, that is what the signage indicated.

  The ships that she had seen on the long-range sensors would be within visual distance in ten minutes, so she had some time. She made the sprint in five.

  A Kiidar seemed to be waiting for her. His nostrils flared when she stepped toward him. “Hello.”

  “You are the gunner?”

  She smiled brightly. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

  “Right. Are you sure you want to be on the main gun? You are going to be there for hours.”

  “I am sure.” She grinned. “I went to the bathroom and everything. No problems. Now... the gun?”

  He snorted. “You are in heat, and you think you can fire the gun?”

  “Sure. It makes me bright and forces me to pay attention to everything. I can feel the air in the room and hear all the heartbeats around me. Shooting the bright lights on the screen as soon as they turn into ships is the easy part.”

  He frowned. “There are lives on those ships.”

  “And that is why I shoot to incapacitate. I haven’t taken a life yet this round.”

  “What?”

  “All the ships I hit today are only floating in dire need of serious repairs to their propulsion unit.”

  The Kiidar smiled, his bright green eyes glowing as he caught on. “Very well. This way, please, princess.”

  She nodded and followed him to the station. “There is quite the mix of personnel here.”

  “We used to be raiders, but the prince had to rejoin the family concern, so now, we are a royal warship.”

  She chuckled. “There was definitely something not too princely about Tonos.”

  “And yet, you still mated with him.”

  “Consummation was a necessary situation.” She bit her lip and spoke absently as a flicker of recent memory ran through her. “Apologies for any pheromones.”

  He chuckled. “That is not an apology I have gotten before. Thanks for that.”

  She snorted and looked at the new station, set the controls within her reach, and added the halo that had a projection screen that moved with her as she turned her head.

  She gripped the controls and settled in to watch. The Urnet ships were approaching with other ships on either side. Her family’s merchant escort ships were peeling off and darting away. It looked like her message to her parents had made it through in time.

  She flicked the com to the command deck. “I have targeting on the incoming vessels. Please, alert the lower gunner to the three ships advancing from the edges of the gate.”

  Asshat’s voice came to her in a low tone. “How did you see those?”

  “Our trail malformed.”

  “Ah. The merchant defenders have peeled off and are leaving. Thanks for that.”

  She chuckle
d. “My pleasure. I grew up with a lot of those crewmembers. I didn’t want to hurt them.”

  “Still. It was good thinking on your part.”

  She grinned. “Right, so what is going on?”

  “The usual posturing. Urnet claiming the colony and Tonos refuting the claim.”

  “Is it the prince of Urnet on the com?”

  “It is.”

  She flexed her fingers on the controls. “Can I see the conversation?”

  Her screen flared up, and she watched the golden charm of the prince of Urnet talking to Tonos.

  “I don’t care how many of your people are on that world. It is ours.” The golden twat was shouting.

  “It has been settled by my people, and they have been there for fifty years. We lay claim to it, and we are here to defend it.” Tonos smiled. “As you have lost the support of the Arthun, you are warned that we will not restrict our fire.”

  The prince shouted, “My new bride is on board. She was injured in the initial attack, but I have been assured that she will recover. The Arthuns will defend their own.”

  Ebra leaned forward with interest. “That is interesting.”

  The prince looked at his screen. “Who is that?”

  “I am an interested party. Show me the heir to the Arthuns.” She spoke, and she smiled.

  “She is resting.”

  “Jenven blanks tend to do that. You might want to have the doctor check her out. I did a really good job on her spinal column and major nodes. That body won’t ever get up and run around, and there is no chance that she is the heir to the Arthuns.” Ebra chuckled.

  She saw the prince’s com go blank, and then, it came online. He was fluffed up with irritation. “The Arthuns are ordering their ships to return to the battle.”

  She gave an eerie sing-song, “You don’t want them to dooo that.”

  Tonos looked toward the viewer she saw him through, and he looked a little unsettled.

  “Who the hell are you?”

  She looked to her monitor. “Prince Tonos, permission to fire?”

  He paused and nodded slowly. “Permission granted.”

  She grinned as the Urnet prince’s eyes got wide, and she fired shots that took out the five incoming ships in rapid succession. They powered off and floated toward the warship on the same trajectory they had been on. She hadn’t even punctured an air-filled compartment.

  She spoke to Tonos. “They should have enough for emergency coms.”

  She listened as he gave the Urnet vessel the order to surrender. She kept her eye on the other ships in the area and found a way to notify the lower gallery of gunners that there were vessels incoming below.

  There was a light exchange of fire, and then, the other vessels were drifting as well.

  Ebra sighed and sat back as the agreement for a treaty was hammered out between the vessels.

  “Ebra, would you please join us in the conference room?” Tonos’s voice was respectful.

  “Certainly. Formal event?”

  He chuckled. “You will be assisting in the negotiation of a treaty.”

  She nodded. “Right. Can you send someone to fetch me? I am only really good at navigation during times of stress.”

  He looked in the lens and nodded. “Stay where you are. I will send someone.”

  She nodded and continued to monitor the scanners. Everything was calm. She sighed and closed her eyes, letting the calm soak into her soul. It was the first thing she had learned at the abbey—the fine art of calming her own shit down.

  The kiss that was pressed to her lip surprised her. She jolted, ready to attack, but Tonos caught her hands and held them. He licked at her mouth, and she opened her lips, trying to pull her arms up and touch him, but he held her hands in her lap.

  The kiss was wet, it was hot, and it was definitely unsatisfying. When he leaned back, she was breathing heavily, and his pulse was throbbing in his neck.

  He offered her his hand and helped her out of the gunner’s seat. “You have an excellent eye for targeting.”

  “Um, thank you. It gets a lot of practice when it comes to keeping vermin out of the abbey gardens.” She blurted it out because she wanted nothing more than to crawl onto him or have him crawl onto her. She wasn’t fussy.

  He grinned and kept hold of her hand as they walked through the ship.

  “This is cute, but why are you holding my hand?”

  He chuckled. “So you won’t make a run for it. The mother superior gave me a briefing when I was on my way to collect you. Oh, thank you for calling your parents, by the way. Their fleet was going to be absorbed into the Urnet rule. So, that has now been stopped.”

  “Um, my father wants to make some agreements.”

  “That will be between him and my family. I have no need to press for trade agreements.”

  She glanced at him. “You have siblings?”

  “Four. They are interested in the running of our world. I have more interest in the colonies that we have started.”

  “Ah. Wild worlds?”

  “Very.” He gave her a slow smile. “Plenty of need for a woman who can handle herself.”

  She smiled. “Good. I do enjoy being useful.”

  “There is more to life than just being useful.”

  “So people keep telling me. I will figure it out when it happens.” Ebra looked at him. “Can I change for the arrival of the Urnet contingent?”

  He blinked. “I don’t think we have time for the fabricator.”

  She waved her hand, and as they walked through the halls, she changed the appearance of her clothing into a silky skirt with an embroidered waistband and a halter top trimmed with wide gold-embroidered ribbons.

  Tonos lifted her and carried her into the conference room, silent and tense.

  He set her on the table and leaned over her. “Why are you wearing that? To entice him?”

  She snorted. “Look at the embroidery.”

  He blinked and stared. “My family crest.”

  “Yeah. I thought if someone was going to stare, I would send a politically accurate statement.” She looked up at him and slid a hand around his neck. “So, when is he going to be here so I can break his fucking nose?”

  He chuckled and kissed her, leaning her back until she was pressed against the cold of the table. He moved to her neck and kissed his way down and between her breasts. He pressed his lips to the inner side of her left breast. She felt his teeth against her skin, but he was sucking instead of biting.

  When he raised his head, his breathing was ragged, and his eyes were focused on her. “There is nothing that I want more right now than to have a few days with you.”

  She chuckled. “That is unlikely to happen, but it is a nice thought.”

  He kissed her, and she drew her leg up to his hip as they had their moment.

  Chapter Seven

  Ebra stood beside Tonos, and she glared at the prince of Urnet. He looked at her in shock, then contempt, and then he began to look uneasy.

  She asked for the occasional clarification on terms and included several charitable donations to victims of weather disasters across the Altuin territories.

  There were seizures of weapons and a stand-down for the vessels in the area. Basically, Urnet was going to be persona non grata in three surrounding systems.

  Tonos smiled. “Do you agree to the terms and conditions as stipulated?”

  The prince frowned. “Do I have a choice?”

  Ebra sighed. “You could reject the agreement and see what happens. How did you get my parents to agree to a marriage between us, by the way? You look a little too damp for me.”

  The prince stood and stepped toward her. “Mutant bitch!”

  She blinked. “I am not a mutant. I am the penultimate result of my bloodline. No inbreeding here. Now, let’s see if you can say the same.”

  That was it, he lunged at her, and she met him halfway, punching him in the gut so ha
rd he doubled over and gagged. She grabbed a handful of hair and wrenched his head back. “Now, please ratify the treaty, or I will get angry.”

  He looked at her with the whites of his eyes showing. He was petrified. “What are you?”

  She let his head go and crouched. “A very scary woman. Now get up and stop being a whiner.”

  He scrambled to his feet and looked at Tonos while she slowly stood up. “How can you have sex with something like that?” He was pointing at her, his hand shaking.

  Tonos grinned. “It is rather easy, but I am not comfortable having that conversation with you. Perhaps you can have some servants explain it to you.”

  Ebra pressed her lips together.

  The prince stalked over to the table, and he signed the treaty, waited for Tonos to sign it, and then, he signed the second copy. The prince of Urnet was handed back to his security detail, and his hatred of her was nearly palpable.

  Ebra looked at Tonos. “So, do you think he is going to let it go?”

  Tonos shook his head. “No, we are probably going to have to kill him eventually. It’s a good thing he has plenty of siblings.”

  Ebra snorted. “Yeah, inbreeding. Their family tree is a rope.”

  Tonos laughed. “I thought you were going to kill him.”

  “If this wasn’t a publicized negotiation, I would have. He tried to not only kill me but erase me from existence. Everything that makes me me would have been gone.” She growled. “I have worked very hard to become myself, so that is infuriating.”

  Tonos folded up his copy of the treaty, and he filed it with the scanner.

  Once that was done, he wrapped his arms around her, and he kissed her, lifting her and settling her on the edge of the table. He leaned toward her and asked, “Now, how can I have sex with you?”

  She kissed him with small pecks and angled her head to catch his. She whispered, “You just have to ask, oh, and deactivate the cameras in here.”

  He chuckled and gave the order then turned back to her. “Now, how do I get you out of this?”

  She smiled. “You just have to ask. So, where would you like the clothing to move?”