Clearly they were going to talk around her. Kara shoved in another spoonful and pretended not to give a shit.

  Except Duke tensed. She wasn’t sure how, but she could feel his muscles coiling.

  “Thanks.” His voice was calm, yet strange.

  Dinah shot him a look, and tugged Military-man away.

  Kara lifted her head, met with cool steel in Duke’s gaze.

  “I want you to know…” he kept his voice low, dangerously mild, “… I made the decision to break the contract before following up on the source of your mystery payment. You have guest quarters until you leave here. If you need a fuck, you know where to find me.”

  “I’m swooning with all this romance.” Sarcasm dripped like honey. Inside, she was shaking. He’d fucked her as if starved for her. He’d held her afterward, refusing to let her budge. And still he wouldn’t believe her. An insane urge to laugh fought with the sting of tears.

  “Brenner thinks I’m in love with you.” He shrugged those wide shoulders. “He could be right.” Stunned, Kara stared at him.

  As if speaking of the weather, Duke put more soup into his mouth, swallowed it.

  “Could be that I have the same condition as you when you need me. Simple addiction to DNA.” Again he shrugged. “Could be something else.” Another spoonful. “Trouble is, I can’t see myself with a lying slut.”

  She flinched at that, opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out. The guilt, the loathing of her own weakness, churned her belly. The soup felt like molten lead in her stomach. “I don’t know what else to say,” she said finally, the ache in her gut spreading.

  “You were paid nicely to fuck me for intel.”

  Kara dropped her spoon with a clang. “The money covered post-med costs. For my knees.” She spoke quickly, needing to get it out before he stopped it. “I didn’t know why they gave it to me. Didn’t ask. I couldn’t afford not to take it. I swear --”

  “No more.” His quiet voice cut her off. “Lil is working on a tonic that will decrease your need. When that’s done, you’re out at the nearest starPort.”

  She pressed a hand to her churning belly. Forgetting pride, she laid a trembling hand on his arm, and watched him still under her touch. “I have feelings for you.”

  Duke laughed bitterly. “You need me to fuck you. Even if I believed you, any feelings would be attributed to that.”

  “I don’t know how to make you believe me.”

  He sighed, but made no move to disengage himself. “If you were in my place, would you?”

  “I would try.” She would be damned if she’d cry.

  “I did. I did try.” He shoved away from the table, towering over her. “I am breaking the contract. What else do you want?”

  Now she laughed bitterly. “Nothing I can get, apparently.” She stayed seated even as he left.

  * * *

  He needed to pummel something.

  Duke tightened the wraps on his knuckles as he entered the gym. He stopped mid-stride as his gaze landed on Kara, sweaty, flushed, and obviously uncomfortable, witnessing a bitter argument in front of her. Brenner and Dinah, nose to nose. Pissed.

  “I don’t think you’re an invalid.” Brenner’s voice was deliberately low. “But you do need to rest.”

  “I’m rested. I’m fucking rested!” In contrast, Dinah was almost screaming. “I’m so rested I’m ready to wipe the floor with your ass to show you!”

  “Fine.” Brenner clamped a hand on her arm, and dragged her toward the door.

  “Let go of me, you big bastard!” Dinah was growling now, trying to wrench her arm free. In response, Brenner simply lifted her and slung her over his shoulder, ignoring the curses pouring over his head.

  “Excuse us.” With that, he strode out.

  Duke shook his head. “Idiots. Both of them.”

  Then he focused on Kara. On the leg extensions.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  She looked like she was biting her lips. He tried to keep himself from focusing on the desire to nibble on them himself.

  “What the hell do you think?” Her voice was breathy, probably from the workout. The sound of it made his cock twitch.

  “Weights aren’t the best thing for your knees.”

  She shrugged, and her voice was bitter. “What, now you believe me?”

  He forced back the urge to grab and shake her. “I believe you had an injury,” he forced out between gritted teeth. “And it’s not a good idea --”

  “Save it.” Kara wiped her forehead with the towel slung around her neck. “Not that it’s your deal, but I’ve already cleared it with Lil.”

  “Great. Perfect.” Duke almost turned away, but a sudden thought had him glaring back at her. “You can’t get up, can you?”

  Her eyes flickered. “I’m fine.”

  “Prove it.”

  “They’re just a little stiff.” Her face was carefully blank now.

  “Stubborn idiot.”

  He plucked her from the seat, one arm under her shoulders, another under her knees. This time there was no head resting on his shoulder.

  “I’m fine! Put me down.”

  “I’m taking you to Lil.”

  “I swear I’m going to kick your fucking ass if you don’t put me down right now!”

  He was at the door. He dropped her legs, wedging her between the door and his already bulging erection. Felt the dark satisfaction of seeing her cheeks flush deeper, her eyes widen.

  “Go ahead. Kick my ass.” He could smell her -- heat, musk, female.

  Her hands fisted in his hair. Then she was kissing him, fusing her mouth with his, grinding her center against his aching cock.

  Someone moaned.

  Kara tore her mouth away, slapping a restraining hand against his chest. “No. Don’t.”

  Duke rolled his hips against her, watched her eyelashes flutter. “You really want me to stop?”

  “Let go of me.”

  Fighting the urge to simply take her, he set her on her feet carefully, ready to steady her if she staggered.

  She stood military straight. “I can’t do this. You either want me or you don’t.”

  “You have doubts about that?” He caught her small palm in his hand, pressed it against his straining cock.

  She snatched her hand away. “You’re hot and then you’re ice cold. I can’t keep up.”

  “Sweetheart, let me show you hot.” He wasn’t in the mood for talking now.

  “I said no, damn you!” Was there a glimmer of tears in her eyes? “You want me? You act like you despise me afterward. I can’t handle it.” She knocked away the hand he lifted to touch her face. “Don’t. Just don’t.”

  He sighed, then simply wrapped his arms around her stiffened body and dropped his forehead to rest on her head. “It’s me I despise,” he murmured. “Can’t stay away from you. It won’t stop.” Despite his aching cock he didn’t make a move to bring her closer. Instead he held still for a few precious moments, feeling the tension in her start drifting.

  Kara sighed. “It’s probably the same effect --”

  Incoming beeped. Urgent.

  “NeoSoviet on intercept.” Trent’s voice was clipped through the dataUnit. “Ygroza class.”

  Shit.

  * * *

  Duke paced the commandPost out of range of the screen.

  Brenner -- cool, calm and polished -- dealt with Verkov. “I regret the lack of progress.” His tone left no room for questions. “The toxin in Pilot Dillon is hazardous to the systems on this ship. As I am sure you accounted for.”

  On screen, Verkov leaned closer, his weak chin offset by a long meaty nose. “Which is why I arranged to meet you halfway. I imagine you want to get rid of her as fast as possible.”

  On the other side of Brenner, Trent typed furiously. A char message appeared on screen three. Shuttle three was just accessed.

  Verkov had hacked into the GrimJustin through the shuttle? Fuck. An onsite check was required.

  Trusting Brenner to handle it, Duke rushed to the shuttle dock. Station three was open; he jumped in just as the lights dimmed.

  The hatch was blown. He gripped a handle, felt the grav slap him down before the speed and power of the shuttle took over.

  Then there was space.

  Chapter Ten

  Kara sat in the pilot seat.

  “GrimJustin, Pilot Dillon on Shuttle Three.” Her voice was hoarse, as if she was forcing the words out. “I am returning to Alan Verkov’s custody. Your transpo will be returned as soon as possible.”

  Duke considered possibilities, and settled on simple. “You want to tell me what the hell you’re doing?”

  Startled, she turned. Refused to look him in the eye. “I’m going to see Verkov.”

  Her old suit was back on -- she’d done something to put it back together, repairing the torn shoulder.

  “You could have just asked.”

  “I didn’t.”

  Slowly he inched forward, preparing to knock her out to regain control. “You make no sense.”

  “Yeah.” She sounded resigned. “That’s my biggest problem.”

  Incoming beeped. “GrimJustin shuttle. Prepare to be taken aboard.”

  Duke inched closer, calculated odds. “Why are you doing this?”

  She looked at him now, her dark eyes sad and tired. “I fucked you up once. I won’t have it happen again.”

  Somehow he thought that ache in his gut would leave when she admitted the truth. Instead, he felt empty.

  “Confessing, sweetheart?” He fought to keep his voice calm.

  Kara walked toward him, even as the shuttle jerked and moved under them. “I loved you.” Her voice was empty, as if nothing was left. It somehow matched the cold feeling in his gut. “I loved you. When they had me… They crushed something. On my legs. This man… told me to crawl… for the meds. And then he wouldn’t administer them until I typed out your keySeq.” She raised a palm to cut off whatever he was going to say. “I couldn’t hold it. I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold it. It was my fault. All of it.”

  Duke refused the dark haze of imagery she painted. “No.” He shook his head, as if this would keep it away. “There’s plenty of ways to extract intel from a woman. I don’t see why --”

  “Doesn’t matter now.” She gave him a small, empty smile. “Either way, they got what they needed.”

  “So what? This grand sacrifice is for me?”

  “I fucked you up once,” she repeated. “I won’t have it again.”

  * * *

  They were escorted to the primeCommander’s office. Five guards with Katusha lasers showed them the way.

  “Halloway Duke. A pleasure to finally meet you.”

  Verkov, all three chins of him, didn’t make an attempt to rise. “Pilot Dillon. My apologies for any suffering you encountered at the Davidian science station.”

  Kara nodded, stayed silent. Cautious, Duke placed himself between the lasers and her back.

  “You have once more provided exemplary service,” Verkov continued, fat fingers moving over his tableUnit.

  “You… I know you.” Kara’s posture changed.

  Verkov answered with a beaming smile.

  “You were on Orpheus. In the cell --”

  “Of course. I was the one that saw your potential.” Calmly, Verkov lifted his gaze and looked over her head at Duke. “And I was right. Once again you got me what I needed.”

  “Me.” Duke kept his voice soft as pieces clicked together. “You wanted me.”

  Verkov chuckled. “Of course.”

  “Why?” The hoarse outraged whisper was from Kara.

  Verkov closed the tableUnit and managed to raise his hefty bulk over the desk. “Your blood is a carrier. You can safely absorb substances other humans would die from.”

  “You infect me -- you get a weapon.” Duke was starting to understand. All of it.

  “Precisely.” Verkov clapped his hands together.

  “You were on Orpheus.” Her voice hoarse, Kara repeated it, as if everything else he said didn’t matter. “You tortured me.”

  “Theatrics aren’t very becoming, dear.” Verkov waved a fat hand as if dismissing the theatrics. “I needed information from you. You should be grateful. There are plenty of more… interesting ways to extract information.”

  “You used me.” Her voice was but a whisper.

  Duke wasn’t sure where she was going with this. “Kara.”

  “You used me to get Duke. Twice.”

  “And you were a delight.” Verkov’s chins stretched into a fat-lipped smile. “You did beg charmingly as I recall.”

  Kara screamed as she lunged for him, screamed again as a laser beam hit her at the knee and she stumbled hard onto the floor. She struggled to get up.

  Duke turned to face the business end of a Katusha.

  “You are exactly the man I need.” Verkov’s voice kept the pleasant lilt. “I will quadruple whatever rates GrimJustin pays you.”

  “And if I don’t accept your offer?” They needed a miracle to get the hell out of here.

  “You’ll be killed, of course. I will have the inconvenience of finding another weapon, but a carrier as charming as Kara won’t have any problem seducing him.” He smiled down at her, as if she was a favored pet.

  “Like hell,” she growled.

  Verkov shrugged. “You won’t be in a position to say no.”

  “I don’t think so.” As the pieces fell into place, Duke fought to keep his voice even when rage colored his vision. “You need that bond. She needs to be emotionally connected to infect. That’s why you wanted me.”

  Again, those soft shoulders lifted. “RabbitFuck and other drugs will create a temporary bond. My scientists assure me it’s possible.”

  Duke hissed out a breath. “If I concede, you will guarantee her safety?”

  “Her safety is guaranteed either way.” A fat hand made a move to pet the still-kneeling Kara on the head. At her growl, he thought better of it.

  “I will negotiate only when she’s back on GrimJustin.” His blood. His blood was infected. He inched closer to Verkov’s desk, tried to look for a large enough power source.

  A shower of sparks momentarily distracted him. A quick glance told him Kara was kneeling over a powerPlug, shards of a sealVial in her hand. Verkov’s yelp of panic was an arm’s length away. Duke took the opportunity to plant a fist in the fat blob of his neck before lunging for his tableUnit -- anything that would blow.

  “No!”

  Kara’s scream whipped his head up. Five Katushas were pointed at his head.

  She threw something at the guards. Dark red liquid glittered as lasers shattered the vials.

  Something exploded.

  Through smoke, Duke heard the guards choking.

  “You stupid idiot,” Verkov wheezed. “I could have made you rich.”

  Duke watched in slow motion as fat fingers curled around a miniBlast, squeezed -- and dropped it as Kara’s body slammed into Verkov, knocking his bulk back against a wallConsole. She jerked as the laser tore skin. Screamed. Went limp.

  Growling, Duke leapt and tore Kara away from Verkov. One of the stronger guards pointed a Katusha at them, between loud gasps for air. Duke’s foot in his face relieved him from choking. His comrades -- the ones unconscious on the floor -- broke his fall.

  Dragging Kara to the wall, Duke grabbed the smooth round of vials under her arm. Blood. Ripping one open, he poured the contents into Verkov’s gaping mouth.

  “Fuck yourself, you filthy bastard,” he muttered, and took a precious second to watch those bejeweled hands clawing under fleshy chins. To the right of the chins was escape. Duke smashed his fist through the power grid on the wallConsole, poured the last three vials into it. No reaction.

  Holding Kara up between the wall and his body, he gripped a shard left from the vial. Inhaled. He slashed diagonally across his palm, and fisted his hand through pain as blood drops plopped merrily into the vault. Then, as the ship starting shaking, he lifted her lifeless body and ran.

  The shuttle was close. Alarms screeched in his ears. He ignored the masses of people who rushed to emergency stations. The ship shuddered underfoot.

  Kara stirred over his shoulder. “What the fuck happened?”

  Duke shoved down relief and concentrated simply on running. “We’re getting out!” he yelled back.

  The shuttle was open. He deposited her into a coPilot chair before securing the door. Upon returning, he found her sitting by the console, keying in commands, her side and arm raw and bleeding.

  “Get an emergency pack,” he snapped at her.

  “We need to blow the hatch,” she yelled, ignoring him.

  “Everything’s down. Go through it.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “Do I look like I’m in the mood?”

  She threw him a quick glance. Punched it. The shuttle burst through the defenseless hatch, metal groaning as it ripped.

  They were free.

  Chapter Eleven

  “You saved my life.”

  Duke hadn’t said much since they were back aboard GrimJustin, just loomed over her as Lil stitched both of them up. As soon as the scanner had beeped a clean bill of health, he’d dragged her to his quarters.

  “Yeah, well.” Kara shrugged, but the slight prick of pain that accompanied the motion made her wince.

  “Pain?”

  “A little.” Nothing compared to what she would feel when he dropped her off at the nearest starPort and kissed the whole mess goodbye.

  “Lil didn’t give you anything? Damn it, I told her…”

  “It’s fine. I feel fine.” She moved her arm experimentally, noting the numbness was easing from the muscle. “Just edgy. She gave me as much as she could. I barely feel anything.”

  “Edgy?”

  She smiled a little. “Too much excitement in one day.”

  Duke lifted an eyebrow. “I’ll show you excitement.”

  Before she could scream, she was lifted and carefully laid across the bed, face down, legs dangling to the floor.

  “What the hell are you doing?” She squirmed, twisted, trying to see his face.