As We Rise: Savage (As We Rise Saga Book 2) Read online

  “How can you be so sure? Beast could capture you, and then what?” Rana bit her lip and continued to fuss with the leather strap on her thigh. Sky kneeled and laid her hand on top of Rana’s, stilling her movement.

  “If Beast captures me, I will escape or I will die trying. No man will ever own my body again.” Sky felt the burn of anger deepen her voice and knew that the truth of her words shone in her eyes.

  “I don’t want you to die,” Rana whispered. “What will I do without you?”

  “You will survive. You will contact Jo and get off this moon and follow your own destiny. My death will not stop that.”

  Rana shuddered, her entire body shaking from the force. Sky waited for Rana to accept her words and acknowledge that although they were friends, Rana’s future was her own. After a few moments of silence, Rana shifted in her seat and gestured for Sky to sit. Sky joined her friend on the bench.

  “Will you ever join in union, Sky?”

  Sky didn’t answer right away as her mind drifted to the man inside the hut. She mentally chastised herself. Just because Phoenix was the first man she had ever connected with didn’t mean she would take that step. Besides, they were friends, and Sky enjoyed his friendship more than any potential romance.

  A bitterness filled her mouth as she swallowed the lies. Maybe if she kept telling herself fiction, it would turn to fact.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “You seem so opposed, and rightly so with your past, but I often find myself wondering if I would take that step. It’s not like suitors have been clamoring at my door on Leonis, but now a whole universe has opened, and I could find love. Are you open to love?”

  “My job on the Kismet doesn’t allow for much time to pursue romance. Attachment could hinder my judgments. I cannot be an effective security officer if I’m concerned with one person above the others.”

  “What if he’s your equal in ability? Then you wouldn’t have to be concerned and your job would be safe.”

  Sky raised a brow at Rana’s teasing lilt and sly smile. “If I were to fall in love, he would have to accept and understand my past, he must be a partner and friend, and he would have to be my equal in every way—dedication, strength, and skill.”

  Rana barked a laugh, bending at the waist. “You’re not picky at all.”

  “No. I’m just particular.”

  “That’s the same thing,” Rana drolly replied. “Fifty credits that you find a man who meets your requirements before the end of this rotation.”

  “Quit acting childish,” Sky admonished her with a smile. “Besides, if I were to consider taking that bet, you’d have to raise the stakes to something worthwhile. Now, come, the suns will rise before we have a chance to rest if we keep talking.”

  Rana followed Sky, chuckling softly as she continued to raise the ante on her bet.

  Sky gasped for breath and she sat up in her bed. Her eyes scanned the room trying to locate what pulled her from a restful sleep. In the corner, her UAB flashed on its charging station. The soft blue light brightened the room, giving the practical hut an almost ethereal ambiance.

  The lights flashed again. Sky padded to her pack and disconnected the device. She glanced back at Rana, softly snoring on the bed Sky had just abandoned, and stepped toward the door leading to the main living area. Sky pulled the newly installed leather door-skin to the side. Phoenix lay in front of the fireplace, his arms wrapped around a ball of fur. Sky smiled as she studied him. In sleep, the serious mask he always wore was replaced by smoothed worry lines and a soft smile. He looked younger, almost peaceful.

  A disconcerting urge to wrap herself around him began to overwhelm her sensibilities, but the UAB flashed again, breaking the pull and brightening the room. Phoenix grunted and rolled onto his back. Sky held her breath and watched his chest rise with each deep inhalation. She stepped back, let the flap close silently, and exhaled in relief. Sky didn’t want to have to explain to Phoenix why she was staring at his sleeping form in the middle of the night.

  Shaking her head, Sky entered the small lavatory connected to the master bedroom and opened the waiting file on her UAB. It was an urgent message from Jo requesting a holochat. Sky tapped on the prompt and waited while her UAB sought the Kismet’s holoID through the CyNet system.

  “It’s about damn time,” Jo growled from her seat on the bridge. “I sent the request hours ago.”

  “We are in the middle of Kore’s night cycle, and I was asleep. You’re lucky I’m a light sleeper, or you’d have to wait until morning,” Sky replied grumpily. After the initial shock of waking, her body was beginning to feel the lack of rest.

  “Excuses.” Jo’s voice rumbled, but the sly smile perking up her lips gave her away.

  “What do you need, captain?”

  “Deviant sends his appreciation for the intelligence regarding Eltanin. He requests that if you come across more information to relay it as soon as you can. It seems the Elitian fleet recalled a few of their battle cruisers from their patrols on the systems edge. There’s a small fleet amassing outside of Kleos. The ships bear the various markings of the syndicates, and a few are unmarked vessels.”

  Sky rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “Are we going to war?”

  “It’s a possibility that is looking more likely every cycle.” Jo paused, grinding her jaw as if she were angrily chewing on the words before she spoke. “How is Rana? Has she improved in her training?”

  “She is doing as well as expected considering the circumstances and yes, she has improved greatly. One day she’ll make a fine warrior. Are you upset about something?”

  “No,” Jo growled. A cough reverberated somewhere off screen and Jo narrowed her gaze toward the offender, who then replied to Jo’s glare with a deep chuckle. Jo’s eyes softened for a moment before she turned back to the screen. “Yes. I am worried about you and Rana. I don’t like being separated when there’s war on the horizon, and your reports on missing people and murderous fiancés doesn’t make me any less troubled.”

  A soft snicker preceded Rana as she stepped out of the shadowed doorway. “I never thought I’d hear Jo admit to being worried.” Rana smiled as she stepped into the camera. “Hello, Captain.”

  “Hello, Rana.” Jo tried to look aggravated, but gave up as Rana held her toothy grin. “How are you adjusting?”

  Rana’s smile faltered. “I’m doing fine, although I never thought I’d get used to seeing so much death.”

  “Sky can fill you in on the details, but it looks as if we may go to war with the Elitians. How does that make you feel?” Jo leaned forward and rested her chin on the tips of her fingers.

  “Torn. I have discovered much since you rescued me, and it’s hard to reconcile a lifetime of living as an Elitian with how the rest of the galaxy views our laws and customs. It’s hard seeing outsiders as real people, knowing what the corporations are doing to them. But Elitians are still my people.”

  “I understand,” Jo answered, her voice soft. “But if you are torn between your allegiances, then you cannot stay with us when the war begins. As much as I hate to say it, you will be a liability. You cannot go back to Leonis if Eltanin is alive. He will try to eliminate you again. So what do you want to do?”

  “She doesn’t have to decide this yet.” Sky shot an angry glare at Jo. “It takes more than a few cycles of freedom to discover your inner truth. Rana is still learning who she is, and until she knows herself, there is no way she can make such an important decision.”

  “Jo.” Rana’s voice was hardly above a whisper.

  Sky felt guilty for speaking out of turn. It wasn’t her job to make decisions for Rana, but Jo tended to be overbearing when she wanted something, and Rana hadn’t tapped into her inner strength to stand up for herself yet.

  “I have discovered horrors on all sides of this fight, but my indecision is not because I am loyal to the Elitian government. It’s my father. I love him and I’m grateful for everything he has done for me. He’s a good man despi
te his job or the choices he has made.”

  “Your father—”

  “Don’t,” Rana pleaded. “I know what people think of him. I have access to the same CyNet as you do.”

  “Then you know that—at the very least—your father must be involved in your kidnapping,” Jo stated soothingly as if Rana would shatter from the burden of this new knowledge. Sky glanced at her friend. Rana’s eyes were wide, and her springy white curls waved every which way in an untamed mass around her face. She looked crazed.

  “No, there has to be a conspiracy or something. My father wouldn’t be involved in my attempted murder. There’s no way,” Rana choked.

  “Of course he’s involved! He’s the chancellor. Everything goes through him.” Jo’s voice was apologetic.

  “I can’t think about it. The idea that my father is involved with all of this is too much. He’s my father. My hero. I am nothing without his support and help.” Tears flowed down Rana’s apple cheeks. Sky’s gut twisted at the raw pain in Rana’s voice. It was almost too much, for Sky knew what it felt like to be betrayed by a father.

  “Rana.” Sky wrapped Rana in a comforting one-armed hug. “I can tell you have, at one time, shared these same thoughts. It doesn’t make you a horrible daughter or mean that you love him less when you consider that he may not be the man you thought him to be. You cannot build your life around the ideals of another. You will never be happy if you do.”

  Rana hiccupped as she wiped at her cheeks. “I just don’t want to accept it. How can the man who protected me be the one to sign my death warrant?”

  “He’s the same man who is okay with kidnapping people and chopping them up for the corporations, among other horrendous acts,” Jo stated before she leaned off screen. A deep voice rumbling in the background, and Sky figured Raiden was probably encouraging Jo to back off. Sky would’ve done it if Jo hadn’t stopped prodding Rana.

  “How do you know he hasn’t been trying to change those laws?” Rana’s voice lacked conviction, but desperate desire showed in the way her face pleaded. She wanted to believe her father was a good man, but the evidence was against him.

  “Keep lying to yourself, Rana,” Jo grumbled as she pulled away from Raiden.

  “Jo,” Sky growled. “This discussion is closed for now. It does nobody any good to keep poking at a festering wound.”

  “Raiden pretty much just told me the same thing.” Jo crossed her arms and scowled.

  “I knew there was a reason I liked him,” Sky teased.

  “Ha,” Raiden’s voice boomed in the background.

  Jo straightened and shot Sky a long-suffering look. “You just inflated his ego even more, and now I’ll have to stomach listening to him. Keep up with your reports. Anything you see or hear could help the CCI.”

  “Aye, Captain,” Sky responded.

  “And Rana,” Jo started. “I’m not going to apologize for what I said, but I could have been more sensitive. Promise me to keep an open mind and remember that not everyone is who they appear on the outside.”

  “I will, Captain.” Rana smiled sadly. “And thank you.”

  Jo nodded stiffly, obviously uncomfortable with the way the conversation had turned. Sky figured it had more to do with Rana’s raw emotions than the difficult topic.

  The UAB went dark, and the lavatory was bathed in darkness. Rana sniffled softly as she stood and stretched. Sky led them back to their room in silence. Sky’s thoughts were heavy as she settled into the comforting mattress. She worried about her friend and what it would mean for both Rana and the system if she was pushed too far, too soon.

  Her mind went in circles until the weight of exhaustion pulled her into a fitful rest.

  Twenty

  A blush swept across the atmosphere as the first sun began its ascent, pushing back the star-studded, azure heavens in another cycle of a never-ending loop. Sky watched the colors shift through the small window in the kitchen as she sipped on her warm brew.

  Today was the day.

  They were going into the heart of the Bludrun clan to prevent Beast from selling her people—and their most prized technology—to an empire that would enslave them.

  Sky was ready for this fight, but she worried about Rana. Rana had come a long way in her short time with Sky, but the woman still clung desperately to her Elitian ideology. Sky wasn’t sure if Rana cherished some misplaced devotion to her father, or if she was just clutching at the remnants of a crumbling identity, blind to the stronger version of herself that was emerging.

  Battles are not for the faint of heart, and Rana’s was delicate and moldable. One wrong action could break her. Sky wanted to protect her Elitian, but knew that Rana would never come into her own if she didn’t experience the harsh truth of life in the binary system.

  Come what may, Rana had a choice to make, and it wasn’t going to be easy. Sky had done all she could to build a strong foundation for Rana to land on, but she had to fully experience their grim reality.

  “Good morning,” Phoenix rumbled from somewhere behind her. Her spine melted at the roughness of his voice, and she had to resist the urge to lean against him.

  “Good morning,” she answered without looking at him. Sky knew that his hair would be tousled from sleep and that he would not wearing a shirt. He had grown comfortable around Sky since their first meeting. There were no more secrets between them. Sky knew what his scars meant, just like he knew the details behind hers, even the ones hidden in her heart.

  He settled in next to her, his back facing the window. Sky kept her gaze on the horizon, but his beefy chest filled her peripheral vision. Her eyes drank in the way his bronzed skin seemed to absorb the morning light.

  “Are you ready?” Phoenix sipped from his mug. The way his arm rubbed against the length of Sky’s made a mundane move feel erotic.

  “Yes.” Sky’s voice grew husky. “Are you?”

  “For battle, I am always ready, but…” He paused and Sky turned to look at him. His head cocked to the side as he studied her. “There are other things I’m not sure of.”

  “Oh?” Sky felt her cheeks warm. “What things are you talking about?”

  “You.”

  “Oh.” Sky lowered her gaze as her stomach twisted in disappointment. She had tried her best to ignore her emotions regarding Phoenix, but over their short time together she had grown fond of him. He was an intelligent and skilled warrior. They shared a dark past, and now both were host to a power meant to protect. Even putting aside their similarities and the way their power pulled toward each other, Sky was deeply attracted to Phoenix, and she had thought he felt the same.

  She didn’t delude herself into thinking that love or a commitment was in their future. They had bigger issues to deal with at the moment, but a part of her did want to explore whatever was growing between them. She had never had the desire to connect with another, and she certainly had never felt such a physical craving for the touch of a man before.

  Thick fingers nudged at her chin, gently encouraging her to look up. She met Phoenix’s gaze with boldness. There was no shame in what she felt. If he wanted to end this flirtation before it truly began, Sky would accept the choice for what it was and move on, but she would never be ashamed for wanting a connection with him.

  “I think you misunderstand.” Phoenix’s voice lowered, and the husky timbre sent shockwaves throughout her body. “You terrify me. From the moment I saw you through the shadows, I was drawn to you. At first I thought it was because we shared the mark, but I started to notice that when I wasn’t watching you, I thought about you. Then next thing I know, you’re in my house. I don’t remember making the choice to bring you home with me—I acted purely on instinct.”

  He swallowed and the muscles in his neck bounced. Sky couldn’t look him in the eye while he spoke of the one thing they both knew existed, but never, ever discussed.

  “The priests broke something inside me. My body revolted at the idea of being intimate after that, and I never thought I wou
ld crave the touch of another or want a relationship. Then you come along and everything in me reaches out for you. I fear it, but my hunger for you grows stronger than my fear. It’s nothing I have experienced before.”

  Sky lifted her gaze as her heart beat wildly in her chest. What he just said was everything to her. Phoenix understood the fear behind the yearning, but she knew their fear wouldn’t stop them from exploring this connection.

  Emboldened by his words, Sky set down her mug and placed her hands on his bare chest. The vibrations of shared power weakened under the heat of a new, sensuous pulse. It pounded, steady like a heartbeat, wherever her skin met his. She traced his sinewy muscles upward until her fingers scratched at the dusting of hair on his jaw.

  Phoenix released a throaty moan and closed his eyes, stepping forward until their bodies pressed against each other. His hands rested cautiously on her waist. The heat of him burned through her thin shirt. When she didn’t object, his thumbs softly caressed her skin just below her breasts. They were crossing an invisible line—one that they had both drawn the moment they first felt the longing—and Sky didn’t care.

  She traced his full, soft lips with the tips of her fingers. The urge to press her lips against his grew to an almost unbearable weight, but Sky resisted.

  “This terrifies me too.” Sky cupped his neck, moving her thumbs along his jaw in the same mesmerizing pattern as his on her stomach. “I left here a shattered version of my former self. I had zero experiences with the opposite sex when the priests took me, and the pain of having it all stolen almost ruined me. Over time, with the help from Luz, I put myself back together by protecting and loving others, but I was still numb to it all. When you first touched me, I felt for the first time since my escape. You ignited an inferno in me, and I don’t want the burning to stop. I know we have this battle and many more to come, but I want this. I think I need it. I…”