Chapter 6

6

M ikos, Transport Room, Transport Station Zenith, Sector 437

Instincts screaming at me, I knew we were in trouble before the sting of transport faded. I willed my body to move before my physical form solidified, to no avail. I opened my eyes to discover five armed members of Siren Legion waiting for us, weapons drawn.

"Bounty hunters." The words were a curse.

"What? What the hell?" Next to me, Breanna pulled her blaster and pointed it at the nearest idiot, the male looking her over like she was his personal bonus.

Over my dead body.

Holding out one hand to keep my fearless, and foolish mate, from getting hurt, I moved between her and the group wearing vibrant blue arm bands. "Shade." I recognized the male before me with his black hair and golden skin. He was one of Siren's top Enforcers, and one of the few males in Siren Legion that wasn't completely evil.

"You shouldn't have come back, Mikos."

I snorted at his statement of the obvious. "What's the bounty?"

"Tripled since I saw you last."

Impressive. The last time I ran into Shade on a trade route in Sector 435 we'd laughed about the ridiculous price on my head, discussed the myriad ways we would spend that amount of credit, and drank ourselves into a stupor. But that was far from here, weeks ago. Shade had never been one to care about earning money when he could steal it. He had no love for the Silver Scions, or Drakdak Trach, the male who'd put the bounty on my head for eliminating his vile brother.

The Silver Scions were merchants, of a sort. Filthy fucking rich. More powerful than the leaders of most planets. Rather than goods, they traded in stolen Hive technology and illegal medical procedures. What the Hive referred to as ‘integration', the Silver Scions sold as ‘enhancements' to anyone willing to pay their exorbitant fees. Hive technology was notoriously difficult to manipulate. Still, for many, the added strength, speed, or augmented senses were worth the risk.

The day I ran into Shade, he'd had a cargo hold full of goods to smuggle and no incentive to risk fighting me. Shade had other priorities, as did I. "How did you know I'd be here?"

His turn to snort. "We have spies on the Karter, as Astra does. I knew as soon as ReCon found you." He tilted his head and glared at me. "Heard you were taken by the Hive. That was stupid. How would I claim the bounty on your head if you were integrated?"

Shade raised a brow and looked at me like I was an idiot.

Breanna gasped. "You were the one who called in the location of that ship?"

Shade bowed to her as if he expected applause. "Of course."

Perhaps I was an idiot, because I had no idea how Shade could have known I'd been captured. I'd flown into Hive occupied territory alone, running from some Elite Hunters. I was so fucking tired of running. "How did you know I'd been captured?"

Shade's grin confirmed it. He absolutely expected me to be impressed. "The night we met in 435, I put a tracker on your ship, in case I changed my mind about collecting that bounty. And here you are, returning to Rogue 5. Foolish, but I understand." His gaze darted to Breanna, then back to me. "Since Lord Trach tripled the bounty, it's only a matter of time before someone drags you in. Might as well be me." He shrugged.

Of course he placed a tracker on my ship. I would have done the same to him, were our situations reversed. Shade was always one to protect an investment or leave himself options if things didn't go as planned.

"You know this guy?" Breanna stepped up next to my shoulder, blaster aimed at Shade's head. She glared at Shade like he was an insect to be crushed under her shoe. Gods help me, if I wasn't obsessed with her already, that look would have sealed my fate. My mate was magnificent.

"I do."

"Should I kill him?"

Shade burst out laughing. "You'll need more than that blaster."

"Try me."

His gaze turned serious and assessing in a way I did not appreciate. "You are human, are you not? From Earth?"

She titled her head but didn't lower her weapon. "I am. What about it?"

"Fascinating females." Shade was far too interested for my liking. "I have decided I want one."

"Want one what?"

"A human female."

Breanna scoffed. "For what? A slave?"

"My mate."

"Oh." Her surprise made him laugh.

"If Mikos's scent was not all over you, I'd keep you for myself."

Breanna's cheeks blushed a deep rose under her soft brown skin. I didn't even try to hide the pride and primal satisfaction Shade's statement made me feel. She did smell like me. Everywhere, as my mate should. I was in her blood, in the breath that left her body as she exhaled, in the top layers of her skin where we touched.

Deep in her pussy, where I'd given her my seed and made her come all over my cock.

Shade studied her for a few seconds and apparently dismissed the idea, and my female, from his mind as he returned his attention to me. "You coming quietly or are you going to make me hurt you?"

My laugh was like thunder in the small transport room and the two Coalition officers at the transport room's controls, Prillon warriors judging by their bronze and golden skin tones and sharp features, stepped away from their station, weapons drawn.

I didn't know what type of message Commander Karter had sent ahead, but apparently, they weren't going to stay out of this fight.

Inclining my head to the two Prillon warriors, I nudged Breanna in their direction. "Go, stand with them. I'll take care of this."

"Five of them?" Breanna didn't budge even though all five of the Hyperion hybrids confronting us were twice her size and a hundred times meaner.

Unable to resist, I leaned down and kissed her. Hard. Deep.

"Gods be damned, Mikos. What the fuck are you doing?" Shade's irritation made me smile as I lifted my head. My gaze locked with Breanna's and we both smiled.

"Do you truly believe these males can do what the Hive could not?" I whispered the question to her, needed to know my mate trusted me to care for her and keep her safe.

"What's the bounty for? What did you do?" She whispered back.

"Does it matter?"

She answered at once and my heart resumed beating. "No." She turned her head and glared at Shade. "You're about to get yourself killed. You know that, right?"

Shade's grin was that of a feral, bored male looking forward to a good fight. "There are five of us."

She snorted in obvious dismissal and I wanted to pull her into my arms and kiss her again. "Won't be enough." With a mockery of a salute, I was sure she intended to irritate the male, she backed away and stepped off the transport platform to join the Prillon warriors at the control stations. Fools that they were, Siren Legion let her walk away without considering her a threat.

The moment she was out of reach, she chastised the two Prillons. "Why are you allowing this to go on? Zenith is a neutral space station, controlled by the Coalition. What the hell are you doing? Call for reinforcements or something."

The Prillon warrior nearest her shook his head. "I'm sorry, ReCon. They have a bounty certificate. We can't protect him. We can only protect you."

"Fuck this." Breanna activated the helmet attached to her Coalition Fleet armor and took cover behind the control station, pulling her second blaster, both of which she pointed at Shade and his crew. "Go ahead, Mikos. Fuck ‘em up. I got your back."

"Try not to shoot me, female."

"You can take it, baby." I heard the smile in her voice, the confidence that she spoke true. My cock grew hard at the pet name she chose to bestow upon me now, at the most inappropriate time possible, and at the challenge to validate her faith in my physical strength. My mate was correct. If she happened to hit me with blaster fire, I would be in pain, but not incapacitated. Unfortunately, the same could also be said of my Rogue 5 brethren.

"You're really going to make us do this?" Shade shook his head and stepped back as the first of his companions charged me.

Breanna hit my attacker with a shot from her ion pistol. He grunted but barely slowed, lowering his shoulder as he slammed into my chest. I knew him, a Prillon-Everian-Hyperion mix known for his angry temperament and lack of self-control, which often ended with him making poor, impatient decisions. Like this one.

The curse Shade uttered implied he agreed with my assessment, and I wondered what he'd told them, if he intended to share the bounty. He was a Siren Enforcer, and they were mere soldiers. He was in command. This was his show, if he could maintain control of the idiots he'd brought along. If all five rushed me together, they might have a chance. One at a time? I'd have to try very hard not to kill them.

I grabbed my assailant around the hips. I lifted him, flipping him over so his feet were in the air before throwing him into the nearest wall.

Breanna didn't wait to see who would charge me next. She fired into the group as fast as she could, striking true, hit after hit.

Enraged by her assault, another male, this one mostly Prillon bloodline, bared his fangs and stepped toward her.

Perhaps I would not try so hard not to kill them all.

Moving swiftly, I wrapped my hand around his neck until his feet dangled above the floor as he kicked and yelled, fighting to break free.

His copper-colored face turned a dark, mottled brown as I considered my options. These idiots were just doing their job, following Shade's orders. The price on my head was large enough, the other Legions would probably send bounty hunters after me as well. Perhaps, I would let him go.

No. He threatened my mate, bared his fangs at her, stepped in her direction. He would die.

I squeezed, slowly, enjoyed the way his eyes bulged as his hands clawed at me.

"Enough!" The booming roar filled the transport room like an explosion of sound. Annoyed at being interrupted, I turned my head slowly to find Prince Rukzi of Hyperion flanked by one integrated Prillon warrior and nine integrated Atlans, all fully geared up with Coalition armor and weapons. Except Ruk, of course. His flesh was tougher than armor and the claws coming out of his fingertips could cut through a ship's hull. Blood dripped on the floor from lacerations made by the claws when they exited his body.

A full-blooded Hyperion, claws out, was a rare sight, and not to be taken lightly. Not even by me. I inclined my head to royalty, but did not release my stranglehold on the idiot who'd threatened my mate. "Prince Ruk. What are you doing here?"

"Oh my god. Sebastion?" Breanna emerged from behind the transport control station and ran to the Prillon male, throwing herself in his arms.

The Prillon I held made a choking noise and I realized I'd increased the pressure around his throat. What was this new Prillon male to my mate? A friend? Lover? Did she care for him? Love him?

"Mikos, put that idiot down." Prince Ruk stepped up onto the transport platform and yanked on the dangling male's arm just hard enough to encourage me to let go. Reluctantly, I did as he requested, not because I felt compelled to obey him, but because my mate was on her feet once more, speaking to the Prillon, Sebastion, her hands waving with excitement.

She knew this male well. Liked him. Treated him as a friend.

The growl in my throat was so low I doubted the others would hear it in the chaos as the Atlans surrounded Shade and his group, separating them from me and my female.

Sebastion must have heard the sound because his gaze darted to mine, and he took a small step away from my mate.

She didn't appear to notice. "What are you guys doing here? Oh my God. Enzo? Stryck?" She spoke to two of the Atlans. Fuck. Did my female know every male in this sector? "How did you guys know where to find us? Did Karter send you? I thought you guys were out on a mission." Her smile made me want to skin Sebastion and the two Atlans alive. But then she turned to Prince Ruk. "Hey, Ruk. How are you?"

"I am well, Lady Bree." He bowed slightly at the waist and smiled at her, his fangs twice the length of mine, which didn't appear to bother her. Not at all.

Bree? He called her Bree. As if they, too, were friends. The remaining seven Atlans all inclined their heads to her, greeting her as if they all knew her personally.

How many males did my mate count as friend? Too fucking many, by the looks of things, as every single one of the Atlans made it clear she was under their protection, placing their bodies between Shade's men and my mate.

Sebastion watched me as she said hello to each of the Atlans, greeted them by name. Touched them on the arm, the hand, the shoulder. Apparently, she was familiar with all of them. Felt comfortable enough to touch them.

Why did I tell her I was not her friend? Had I placed myself at a disadvantage among these other males? How many of them wanted to take her from me? Touch her? Kiss her? Claim her for themselves? She was beautiful. Perfect. Tall. Strong. Her full, round ass begged to be held. Spanked. Teased. Her breasts were full and heavy with sensitive nipples. Her lips were plump and ripe for kissing. Her light brown skin glowed with health under the station's false light. She was the most striking female I'd ever seen. My cock grew hard, and I crushed the urge to attack every male she touched with a brutality that made my chest ache and my eyes burn.

Of course, every gods damned one of these assholes wanted her for himself. They'd be fools not to.

Fuck. None of this mattered, not who she knew, who she admired, who she was friendly with. In a matter of days, she would have the antidote, and I might be dead. I should be glad these males cared for her, would protect her if I was gone.

As much as I wanted to accept that logic, everything in me rebelled at the thought of her depending on anyone else, needing any of these males to protect her, care for her, bring her pleasure.

Another low rumble filled my chest and Ruk turned to confront me. "Back off, Mikos. We all know. Your scent is all over her."

"I'm right here. Right here, Ruk." Breanna's cheeks were, once more, a dark rose that made me want to strip her naked and fuck her right here.