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  Definite possibility. He only had three working brain cells on his best day, anyway.

  As he sat there, thinking it all over, a plan began to take form. The rust and cobwebs were coming off. While he hated court politics, those old skills were still there in the darkest recesses of his mind.

  And they were coming back now, sharper than ever as he considered what he wanted to do with Nyran and Eriadne. How to get the upper hand against them.

  Fine, you little bitch. You want to play with me ...

  Set the board.

  Nyran thought he had him in check. He was about to learn what Jullien had taught Chrisen and Merrell the hard way. While they had spent their youths conspiring against him and trying to ruin his life, the little fat kid hadn't just eaten his way through the kitchen. Jullien had devoured every political and military handbook ever written about strategy and philosophy. Not just in Andarion, but for all the Nine Worlds.

  Silently reciting those passages and verses had been the only thing that had kept him sane in prison and during his months of forced seclusion and isolation whenever those pricks had betrayed him. In the end, it was the very survival skills Merrell, Parisa, and Chrisen had forced him to learn from his cradle that had led to their deaths.

  Come Tophet or Korilon, he was going to win this. And plant both Nyran's and Eriadne's heads on his wall.

  *

  Entering the bridge, Jullien rubbed his eyes and winced as he accidentally brushed his hand against the bruises on his brow.

  "Morning to you," Jupiter greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

  "Not really. You?"

  "No." He handed Jullien a mug of coffee. "Happy Universal Theian Day."

  Jullien scowled as he swallowed a sip of the bitter brew. "Is it the third already?"

  Sitting in his chair, Jupiter nodded and turned on the news so that Jullien could see some of the celebrations that were already in full swing on the various planets, especially since it was well after dark on some of them.

  The newscaster had tears in her eyes as she watched the elaborate memorial wreaths being placed on the walls of the League's main headquarters on Gondara at midday by the highest League officers under the watchful gazes of The League Prime Commander, Kyr Zemin, and the Trigon Court's Overseer, Alia Mureaux. "As you can see, it's a beautiful tradition that marks the five hundred and eighty-sixth anniversary of the worst genocide in Ichidian history when Justicale Cruel destroyed an entire planet and forever extinguished the entire Theian race."

  She sniffed daintily. "Ten billion souls were lost in less than one week to his madness. Such a horrid, horrid tragedy.... And now, we'll cut to the Caronese royal family as they leave League headquarters to provide their annual donation to the League fund before they lead the Overseer and her court of advisors into their local embassy to renew their treaty and loyalty oath that the Caronese Governor was forced to sign after the tyrant Cruel was defeated and executed. Then they'll perform their annual act of contrition."

  Jullien let out a low whistle. "You know that has to suck and burn."

  Jupiter nodded. "Don't it though? And I know how they feel, given that me own blood has to hang low on St. Hestia's Day every year, for much the same reason. It chafes to be reminded of your family's ills in such a public forum. As you so eloquently said, me friend, every family has its asshole. And some have more than one. Really shafles when that asshole is so egregious he screws the lot of you for generations to come."

  "Not talking about that." He jerked his chin toward Darling Cruel and Kyr Zemin. "I mean the prince and prime commander. They're bitter, longtime enemies who can't stand each other. Kyr's even made an attempt on Darling's life."

  "Really? When?"

  "During Kyr's brother's wedding, when his brother Maris decided to come out of the closet with Darling's help and leave his bride at the altar--it was a huge scandal for all of them. Maris and Darling have been best friends since grade school. They're still inseparable, which makes Darling Zyr's mortal enemy, especially since he's still sheltering Maris from the Phrixian royal family after they've cut him off and declared him dead. It has to burn Kyr's soul to be that close to Darling and not kill him."

  Jupiter cocked his head as he studied Jullien. "You know them?"

  "What makes you think that?"

  "Way you speak about them. It's personal, as if you've been up close with them all, many times."

  Jullien steeled his expression so that he gave nothing away. He'd actually been in attendance at that wedding when Kyr had tried to geld Darling over Maris's unexpected disclosure that he had no intention of marrying a woman. Ever. It'd been one hell of an entertaining free-for-all.

  Luckily, he was spared from having to lie about it when Jupiter's stryper spoke up. "Hey, Ju Ju? We got an alert coming in." She replaced the newsfeed with a huge number of ships that were headed straight for them.

  Armed and targeted for Tavali.

  Jupiter sat up straight in his chair and set his mug aside. "What the hell, man?" He flipped to the channel on his con. "Chayden? You awake?"

  "I see them. They're not League. I think they're us. But they're not answering my calls."

  "Ours, either."

  Suddenly, Jullien's link buzzed. He answered it to find Ushara on the other end. "Hey, I've been trying to call you."

  "I've been in hyperspace. Are you safe?"

  Jullien watched as the crew around him scrambled for battle stations. "Not exactly sure." He glanced back to the screen as an amused thought went through him. "Where exactly are you, baby?"

  "Ninth quadrant. Solaras System."

  "I had a feeling ... brought a lot of friends, did you?"

  "Why do you ask?"

  "Thinking you might want to back them down a bit as we're about to have a riot here if someone gets twitchy." He pulled the link away from his head. "Uh, Jupiter. It's okay. That would be my ride out there."

  Gaping, he turned toward Jullien. "Seriously?"

  "Precious? Could you answer their hail? You're making them a wee bit nervous."

  Ushara, in full Tavali war paint, appeared on their main screen. "Identify yourselves."

  "Ship of Fools, 8C-RUN-QIL1-CO-NCOB-Z, with Commander Hinto at the helm. To whom am I speaking?"

  "Vice Admiral Ushara Samari of the Gorturnum Nation. I'm told you have something priceless that belongs to me."

  Grinning, Jupiter held his hands up in surrender before he gestured toward Jullien off on his side. "So it would seem, Admiral. It was ever our intent to return him home to your loving arms."

  "Jules?" she gasped as she saw him.

  "Really. They've been quite gentle with me. Extremely hospitable."

  "Why are you bruised then?"

  "It wasn't the Seps who did this. I swear. I ran afoul of another group of assholes."

  "Beg pardon, Andarion?" Jupiter asked with a laugh. "Another group of assholes? I share me best whisky with you, and this is how you insult me ... bloody figures."

  Jullien winked at him.

  Shaking her head, Ushara turned her attention back to Jupiter. "In that case, I'm in your debt, Jory. You ever need anything from us, let me know, and it's yours."

  "Think nothing of it, Admiral. Always me pleasure to help out a beautiful lady. Glad to have been of service to the both of you, and to have met your husband. He's a good cade. Congratulations on your marriage, by the way."

  "Thank you."

  Jupiter stood up to walk Jullien to their airlock while Ushara sent over a small shuttle for him. "Well it's a good thing I didn't let me idiot cousin have you, eh?"

  "Probably so. And I am thankful for everything."

  Jupiter nodded. "I'm just sorry about Venik and his chirani. I will pay them back for what they did to you. That I promise."

  "You don't have to worry about that tab. It's one I plan to collect on myself."

  As soon as the shuttle docked, Jullien opened the door while Jupiter left to return to the bridge. He expected it to be Davel.

  It wasn't.

  Ushara grabbed him by the jacket and pulled him fiercely against her for the hottest kiss of his life. "I'm so mad at you I could skin you alive."

  His breathing ragged, he arched a brow. "Only if you let me spank you first."

  "Pardon?"

  "Pregnant? It seems you told everyone but your husband."

  She blushed. "Only a few others."

  "Define few."

  "Dozen ... roughly." Biting her lip, she straightened his jacket before she gently examined the bruises on his face and neck. "Maybe I was a little naughty. I didn't want to worry you while you were gone."

  Too grateful to see her again to really fight about it, Jullien brushed his hand against her stomach that was only just beginning to bulge ever so slightly. "I should be angry at you, but I'm not. I'm just glad to see you. I still can't believe that we're going to have a baby."

  "Brace yourself, mi keramon. Not one baby ... two. It's twins in there."

  For a full heartbeat, he couldn't breathe as those words slapped him hard. "What?"

  Nodding, she picked up her link and turned it on. "I haven't been feeling well and my mother made me go to the doctor. She did the ultrasound and this was what she found."

  Jullien's breath rushed out of him as he saw the images of two very small fetuses. He grinned as he watched them. "We're having jumping beans."

  She laughed. "Yes, this fall, we will have your jumping beans. They're due at the end of Cantlos. But I'm told that twins usually come early, so we shouldn't waste any time preparing the nursery."

  Tears filled his eyes as love and fear overwhelmed him. He was going to be a father.

  Him.

  What were the gods thinking? Were they insane?

  Unable to sort through everything he felt, he sank to his knees and placed his head against her precious stomach that held the most incredible miracle he'd never dared to imagine for himself. How could any male be so happy and terrified at the same time? So proud of what would come and yet humbled by the gift of the female in his arms?

  Closing his eyes, he did the one thing he hadn't done in so long, he hadn't even known he could still do it.

  He prayed.

  The gods could have his worthless life and soul, and do with it what they would. All he asked was that they kept Ushara and her children safe.

  Ushara bit her lip as she brushed her hand through Jullien's soft hair while he kept her locked in a tight grip for so long that she began to worry about him. "Mi'ki?"

  He placed a gentle kiss to her stomach before he spread his hand flat against it, and looked up at her. "I will not let anyone threaten you or your children. On my honor. With my last drop of blood. I will keep you safe."

  "I know, mi tiuri." But she sensed that there was something else bothering him. Something deeper than his normal concerns and paranoia. "Are you sure you're all right?"

  Nodding, he took her hand and placed it to his cheek. An Ixurian sign of extreme affection.

  She stroked his bruised cheek gently. "Are you ready to go home?"

  He rose slowly and led her to the shuttle. Yet even so, there was a profound change in him and she could feel it.

  "Jules?"

  He met her gaze with an arched brow.

  "Who hurt you?"

  "It doesn't matter. They're not important."

  She stared aghast at him. "How do you figure?"

  He nudged her down into the pilot's chair and fastened her into her seat. "Do you trust me, Shara?"

  "Of course."

  "Then let me handle this." He moved to sit next to her as he began the prelaunch sequence for her.

  Her breath caught as she had a sudden bad feeling. There was only one thing it could be. One thing he would refuse to discuss with her like this.

  His family.

  Somehow they'd found him. Nothing else would make him act this strangely. Or have him this upset and secretive. And as she scanned the bruises on his body while he prepared the launch, it all made sense.

  Those marks were from someone who'd wanted to seriously hurt him. They were personal injuries that came with a vendetta. Injuries that made her want to hurt his family all the more.

  Haven't you done him enough harm? Why couldn't they leave him alone?

  But it wasn't until they'd landed at home, late the next morning, and she had him back in her house that she saw the full extent of his injuries. And then, not until he came out of the shower and she caught sight of him dressing in their bedroom.

  "Oh dear saints, Jules!" She gasped at the welts, cuts, and bruises along his spine. The footprints on his ribs, chest, and stomach. "Can I not leave you alone for five minutes?"

  "Probably not." He smirked at her. "I'm a contentious asshole with severe dysfunctional relationship issues that lead me to extreme forms of antagonism and aggression against my peers in most social situations. Even I'm surprised by what comes out of my mouth most days."

  Ushara rolled her eyes at his playful sarcasm. "Get in bed. Right now." She reached for her link to call her mother.

  But Jullien didn't make it to the bed. He collapsed at her feet.

  "Jules?" Ushara knelt down by his side, then panicked. He hadn't passed out.

  He'd stopped breathing completely.

  CHAPTER 21

  Jullien came awake with a violent, painful jolt to find Trajen leaning over him. His head pounded as he scowled up at the dark, dangerous Trisani. "What the hell, man?"

  Scowling furiously, Trajen let out a relieved breath before he slapped him hard. "You ever die on me again, Andarion, and I'll rip your throat out. I mean every word of that."

  "Okay, then. I see those employee motivational courses Ushara insisted you take have really been paying off. You haven't wasted your creds on them, at all," he said drily.

  Trajen snorted. "You're such a smart-ass." He helped Jullien sit up. "How you feeling?"

  "Extremely confused." He rubbed at the pain in the center of his chest as he looked around the room. "Why am I half naked in my bedroom with you fondling me? Is there some confession you need to make?"

  Trajen shoved at him. "You're not that cute. Even with the fangs. And I'm too sober to be tempted to lose my wizard powers for your sorry ass.... Do you remember what happened?"

  Jullien rose slowly to his feet. "I was coming out of the shower."

  "Yeah?"

  "Then you were rubbing and slobbering on me."

  Trajen made an obscene gesture at him. "The main detail you're missing is the part where you fell dead on the floor at Ushara's feet."

  Jullien froze. "What?"

  He nodded slowly. "You want to talk about it?"

  "Talk about what? I have no memory of it.... I really died?"

  "Yeah, you did. I just ran enough electricity through you to power half this station. It's why you're so sore. Honestly, you didn't seem to want to come back." Trajen caught him as he stumbled. "Careful. You might want to sit." He helped Jullien toward the bed.

  His lungs felt thick suddenly as the room tilted and spun around him. Jullien struggled to breathe. He stretched out on the bed and coughed, then choked and gurgled.

  Trajen caught his arm and stretched it over his head. "You using again?"

  He shook his head. Truly, it felt as if his lungs were solidifying. No air could get past his throat.

  "Don't lie to me."

  Unable to speak, Jullien started wheezing. He had no idea what was happening. Pain tore through him. The harder he tried to use his lungs, the less they wanted to work. Tears blinded him. He shook all over.

  Trajen rolled him to his side. "Breathe, little brother. Slow and easy."

  He was trying, but there wasn't anything easy about it. It hadn't been this difficult since he'd been a kid and his stupid cousins' uncle had made him run maneuvers on Kirovar.

  Damn you, Barnabas Cabarro.

  Climbing onto the bed with him, Trajen wrapped his arms around him and squeezed his chest so hard that for a moment, Jullien feared he'd break a rib. But after a minute, the pressure started helping to loosen whatever was seizing his lungs. "Deep breaths. Don't fight me."

  After a few minutes more, Jullien's breathing returned to normal and the wheezing finally stopped.

  Trajen slowly backed the pressure off and laid him down on the bed. "Just stay there and take it easy." He covered him with a blanket before he slid off the mattress.

  "Does this mean we're dating?"

  Trajen let out a sound of supreme aggravation. "A simple thank you, Tray, for not letting me die would be nice."

  "Thank you, Tray. But next time, you could buy me dinner before you fondle me in my marital bed."

  He hit him with a pillow. "Gah. You're such an obnoxious ass." He conjured a small vial and handed it to him. "You need to drink this."

  "What are you poisoning me with now?"

  "You don't want to know. But it'll clear the remnants of Bliss out of your second set of lungs so that they don't keep seizing on you."

  Jullien went ramrod stiff.

  Trajen let out a tired sigh. "Tell me I'm wrong and I'll believe you. But I've been around enough Fyrebloods to know the symptoms when I hear them rattling in your chest. Once you start breathing fire, there are some things you have to avoid. And Bliss is poison to your species."

  "I didn't take it voluntarily." Grabbing the vial, Jullien opened it and drank the bitter liquid. With a fierce grimace, he cursed, then handed the vial back to Trajen. "So no, I'm not using again. But yes, it is in my body."

  "Okay."

  Jullien glared at him. "Why are you playing this shit with me, anyway? I don't like it, Trajen. I've been head-fucked my whole life. By everyone. I know you can pull the truth out of me quicker than I can tell it. So why this mind game?"

  "Because I can pick and choose what I pull out of you. And I've chosen to trust you, which is an exceedingly rare thing for me to do. You've earned the right to keep your privacy. I won't go digging inside your head without your permission. No games, Jullien. I would never do that to you."

  "Appreciate it."

  Trajen inclined his head to him. "We good?"

  "Are we?" he asked belligerently.

  He scowled at Jullien. "Well, I was till you got that tone with me. Is there something else you need to confess?"

  Jullien shook his head. "I'm just out of sorts. Sorry. I had a bad day. And falling down dead for no reason hasn't really helped my mental state any."

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