Born of Ice Read online

  "You're not authorized to view the captain's logs or any of the files you're trying to access. They are strictly locked."

  She'd been afraid of him saying that, but at least he wasn't trying to arrest her or notify Devyn. "I was just curious about the types of missions we carry out."

  There, she almost sounded normal.

  "Then you can ask about what you want to know."

  But that wouldn't get her the proof she needed to hand over to Merjack. Damn Vik for being so alert.

  "So what kind of missions do we carry out?"

  "Not me, bonebag. You'll have to ask Devyn."

  Yes, but he might get suspicious and then where would she be? Launched into space, most likely. "Wouldn't it be easier for you to tell me?"

  "Not for me it wouldn't, and I'm not here to make your life easier."

  Which made her wonder what he was here for. "So what is your programming?"

  "To protect Devyn at all costs and against all enemies."

  That was a scary prospect. "Even at your own risk?"

  "I'm here to die for him if need be. Not because it's my programming, but because I love him. His survival is far more important to me than my own."

  That didn't make any sense. He was an Al and should have no real feelings. Only simulated ones. Yet there was no mistaking the loyalty she'd heard in his voice.

  But that was neither here nor there.

  She had to find evidence to use against Captain Kell. "Is there anything you can show me?"

  He popped up a live feed of her sitting at her desk in her quarters. "You're not exactly helpful, Vik."

  "Not true. I'm extremely helpful. Just not to people I don't know. Which, in case my subtlety is lost, would be you. No one accesses our records until they pass my security clearance and Devyn authorizes it."

  "And how does one do that?"

  "Take a shot for Devyn and we'll talk."

  In other words, the metallic bastard wasn't about to trust her at all.

  What am I going to do?

  "You don't like me very much, do you?" she asked him.

  "I don't know you. Therefore like and dislike are inapplicable terms. However, I love Devyn and Sway. So I think you will forgive me for being protective of my charges. They are all that matters to me."

  She smiled sadly. How she wished she had such loyalty in her life from a friend, even an artificial one. "I forgive you, Vik, and I respect you for it. You're a good man."

  "Mecha, you mean."

  She looked up at the intercom he was speaking out of. "No, you're more man than most of the ones I've known. Good night, Vik."

  He hesitated before he spoke. "Good night, Alix. Shall I adjust your environment before you retire?"

  His offer touched her. No one had ever cared before if she was comfortable or not when she slept. "No, thank you. I'm good."

  Still, he dimmed the lights for her. "Don't worry. I won't be peeping into your room while you sleep or move about. I'm a paladin, not a perv. I only have the monitors on now because you were acting suspiciously."

  She let out a nervous laugh. "Thanks. I appreciate that."

  Pushing her chair back, she stood and then froze in place as the reality of her current surroundings hit her. She was on board a ship that was top-notch with a crew of men who treated her like a human being. Men who seemed to be looking after her.

  Not in her wildest dreams had she ever thought to have even a single day of this.

  And I have to betray them all.

  It was so unfair. But then, that was life. Injustice had been rammed down her throat since the moment she'd learned to swallow.

  Somehow she would have to learn to bypass Vik's security system and get proof of Kell's illegal activities.

  Maybe when they landed on Nera, she'd be able to stay on board while he followed them to their meeting. Then she could scan the files without Vik being any the wiser.

  She hoped.

  The next day flew by as she acquainted herself with the ship and its subtle nuances and quirks. Machinery was like people, each a unique entity that had to be learned. But that being said, Vik had to be the most irritating thing ever created. No matter how she tried to find evidence on Kell, whether it was scanning their cargo or trying to get a shipping manifest, he was there to question her over it.

  Like a spider.

  And because he was a mecha, he didn't sleep or go to the bathroom. He didn't shower.

  Nothing.

  Ugh!

  They're going to die and it's going to be all my fault. She couldn't stand the constant pressure that hung around her shoulders, threatening to pull her into insanity.

  What am I going to do?

  She had to find or plant something incriminating, but every time she went near a computer to run their inventory, Vik stuck his nose in it.

  Unable to cope, she went to the rec room, hoping to find some workout routine that could help take the edge off her panic. But as she stepped into the darkened room, she froze.

  Devyn was there.

  Wearing a tight black VR suit that was trimmed in green and silver, he appeared to be running through a training exercise. Mesmerized, she watched as he fought against enemies only he could see.

  Wow... his entire body was a symphony of sinew and grace. And he moved like lightning.

  Fierce. Strong. Fluid. Honestly, she'd never known that a man could move like that. She doubted if even an assassin could match his skill.

  I don't ever want to be on the receiving end of that.

  The lights in the room flashed before Devyn came to a stop. His breathing labored, he pulled his helmet off.

  Damn...

  Sweat made his tawny skin glisten, and his black hair was plastered against those perfect features. The sight of him like that made her instantly wet as he licked his lips and brushed his hand through the damp strands to push his hair out of his eyes.

  And when he saw her, the smile that spread across his face did the strangest things to her will.

  "I didn't hear you come in. Sorry." He unzipped the VR suit and peeled it off until he wore nothing but a sleeveless gray T-shirt and a pair of tight black shorts.

  She wanted to respond, but her tongue was too thick to cooperate. All she could focus on was how incredible that ripped body was.

  I so want a piece of that.

  Alix, get a grip.

  Yeah, but the problem was, she only wanted a grip on him. Oh, dear lord, he was fine.

  He's a killer. A felon.

  He's the hottest thing on two legs.

  There was definitely no denying it.

  He picked up a towel to dry his hair. "You coming to work out?"

  "Yes." True, her voice was breathless, but at least this time she managed to speak a whole cognitive syllable.

  "You want me to reset the machine?"

  No. I want to ride you until you're begging me for mercy. Clearing her throat, she tried to shove that image out of her mind. "That would be great. Thanks."

  And strip off the rest of your clothes while you're doing that.

  She clenched her teeth in frustration at herself for those thoughts she couldn't seem to stop. Why was her body doing this to her? She never reacted to a man like this.

  You're a frigid bitch. I swear you have ice in your veins.

  She cringed at the memory of Irn's voice in her head. He'd been a nasty bastard. Taking all of her father's money had been the least of his crimes. Truth was, she'd been relieved when he left. Her biggest fear had been of him raping her sister while they slept. She was still amazed they'd managed to survive without that happening.

  Probably only because her mother slept in the room with them and everyone knew Alix slept fully armed. She would never willingly be a victim to anyone. Her father might have made her the crew whore, but she refused to be raped.

  Devyn frowned at Alix's continued silence. He glanced at her, only to have her look quickly away. A slow smile broke over his face as he realized she'd been eying his ass. While she was distracted, he traced her curves with his gaze. Though she wasn't the kind of skinny women strove for, she was nonetheless stunning. It was obvious she worked out and had the kind of body a man would love to have wrapped around his for days on end.

  And her hair.

  He'd always been a sucker for long hair. Yet for some reason, all the women he'd dated had always cropped theirs short. Alix's looked so soft that his palm itched to feel it.

  More than that, he wanted to bury his face in it and inhale until he was drunk on her scent.

  You have been way too long without a woman.

  That was certainly true. After the last few women he'd hooked up with, he'd decided he was tired of the drama that came in most shapely packages. He liked his life uncomplicated and his relationships honest.

  And short.

  Yet for some reason, he kept finding women who wanted to stir up shit and lie to him about the most basic of things. After he'd finally managed to get the last cloying beast off his back, he'd decided he'd rather handle himself than deal with their issues.

  And still, Alix appealed to him on a level he'd forgotten existed. Shaking his head to clear it of the image of her going down on him, he finished resetting the program.

  "I had a fight sequence going. You want something more mundane?"

  She pulled her hair back from her face and secured it with a band. "Yeah. Running."

  "Desert, urban, beach, country..."

  "Countryside."

  He frowned. She didn't strike him as a rural kind of woman. "Really?"

  She nodded. "I like the greenery and foliage. When I was little, I used to try and grow plants on my dad's ship."

  That had to be tough. Most living things didn't like the recycled air and lack of natural daylight. "Didn't work?"

  She shook her head. "I never could get the hydroponics or lights right."

  "Sorry." He stepped away from the machine and picked up his suit. "If it makes you feel better, I once tried to grow a monkey."

  "A monkey?"

  He laughed at the memory. "You know the candy, Monkey Seeds?" They were nothing but chocolate-covered raisins--a nasty candy, really, but it was one his dad loved and it was something Devyn's mother always kept in large supplies for him.

  "Yeah."

  "I thought if I planted them, they'd grow monkeys."

  Alix laughed at the image of the fierce captain trying his hand at farming. And for something so ridiculous... He must have been adorable. "How old were you?"

  "Five or six. I would run out every morning to see if my monkeys had sprouted. My mom didn't have the heart to tell me I was wasting my time. So my dad created a monkey body for Vik and buried him in the garden. He crawled out one afternoon while I was watering the seeds."

  "No, he didn't."

  "Yeah, he did. Since my dad had also altered his voice track, it took me a full hour before I realized my monkey was Vik."

  "Were you angry?"

  "Nah. But Vik, being Vik, finally explained to me why he was the only monkey I'd ever have."

  "And I've been your monkey ever since."

  A charming grin broke across Devyn's face as he looked up at the speaker. "Nah. You're not my monkey, Vik. You're my bitch."

  "Of course I am. And I'll remember that the next time your shower door is stuck and you want me to open it... Wait. That does make me your bitch, doesn't it? Damn, I'm whipped."

  Alix's humor died as Devyn drew near and she saw the awful jagged scar on his left arm that twisted from just above his elbow all the way down to his wrist. "That looks like it hurt."

  He glanced down and shrugged. "It did."

  "What did you do to get it?"

  "Knife fight with a Partini."

  She was impressed. The Partanai were renowned for their fighting skills. "And you lived?"

  "Obviously so."

  "What about your opponent?"

  "He wasn't so lucky. I don't like to be attacked, especially when it's unprovoked. That never goes well for the aggressor."

  "You actually killed him?" It was virtually unheard of for a human to kill a Partini.

  He gave her a bland stare. "I was a League soldier, Alix. I've killed a lot of people in my career."

  That was another thing Merjack had failed to mention. "How long did you serve?"

  Devyn fell silent as he remembered his stint. He still couldn't believe he'd been so stupid as to sign up. Gah, what an idiot he'd been. "Almost four years." The most miserable years of his life.

  He hoped.

  "No wonder you can fight so well."

  He snorted at that. "Trust me, that wasn't from The League. I knew how to fight long before I joined."

  "Your father?"

  "Among others. I was raised by The Sentella."

  Alix took an involuntary step back. The Sentella was the only group that had ever successfully stood against The League. Started long before she'd been born, and run by outlaws and criminals, it was legendary. "You're not joking."

  "Why would I?"

  Yeah, why would he? It wasn't like he was trying to pick her up or impress her. "I don't know. A lot of people do that sort of thing."

  "Not me. I hate lies."

  And he will never forgive you for the lies you're speaking.

  What does that matter? Her sister and mother were the only people she loved and she would do anything to keep them safe.

  Devyn paused next to her. Given his sweaty condition, she expected him to stink. But he didn't. His body held a warm, delicious scent.

  Mmm, she could breathe that in all night long.

  She looked up and caught the hungry light in his eyes. It was mesmerizing and made her even hotter.

  Wetter.

  All she wanted was one single taste of those gorgeous lips.

  Devyn told himself to walk on, yet he couldn't. When he looked at her, he remembered those early days of being with Clotilde. That sense of wonder and discovery.

  The sex that had set him on fire.

  She's not Clotilde.

  No, she was Alix. Competent and sweet. There had never been anything sweet or even kind in Clotilde's makeup. She'd been vicious and lethal. At times he couldn't remember why he'd even wanted to marry her except for the fact that she was incredible in bed. That woman had had a way with her mouth that was unrivaled and she had blistered his sheets.

  But as he looked into Alix's dark blue eyes, he felt like he was drowning. And all he wanted to do was taste her lips. To feel her hands on his skin.

  I'm losing my mind.

  "Devyn... Omari's calling."

  Vik's voice snapped him right out of it and grounded him back to the real world where captains didn't make time with their engineers. "Tell him I'll be right there."

  Alix scowled as Devyn literally ran from the room as if he'd been shot out of a proton cannon. Wondering about his actions, she looked up at the intercom. "Vik? Who's Omari?"

  "Devyn's son."

  The words hit her like a sledgehammer. Devyn had a son? "His son lives with his mother?"

  "I'm not at liberty to comment on Master Omari or his whereabouts. You'll have to ask Devyn about him."

  "Okay, but can I at least ask if the captain is married?"

  That wasn't exactly helpful, and she had a feeling Vik liked being difficult. "No he's not married, or no I can't ask about it?"

  He laughed before he answered. "He's not married."

  "Thanks, Vik." Alix went over to the player to turn it on while her thoughts stayed on the fact that Devyn was a father. Every time she turned around he was another surprise.

  Just who was this man she was going to have to send to jail? How old was his son? She didn't want to leave someone without their father. While hers had sucked, at least he'd been there, and to hurt a kid...

  Stop it. It doesn't matter.

  * * *

  CHAPTER 3

  Alix grunted as she tried to get enough torque to loosen the screw on the panel she was attempting to open. Why couldn't she get this stupid thing to budge?

  Out of nowhere, Devyn appeared.

  "Need a hand?"

  She started to turn him down, but he took the wrench from her hand and popped the panel open with a frustrating ease that disgusted her. Oh, to have one minute of that strength.

  "Thanks, Captain."

  "You know you can call me Devyn. We're not exactly formal around here."

  She didn't comment as she stuck her head into the opening to look at the pipe she'd been eyeing on their schematics. Since she was trying to frame the man, she really didn't want to get that familiar with him.

  Devyn sighed at her cold aloofness. He really didn't understand her. Sometimes she looked at him as if she were imagining him naked and other times, she was absolutely frigid. It was like she was trying to keep some kind of wall between them. And for some reason that bothered him.

  His gaze dropped down and went straight to her shapely ass as she strained to reach something inside. Heat surged straight to his cock, which hardened instantly at the prospect of what he wanted to do to her.

  Damn, I need to get laid.

  Because right now all he could think of was stripping her clothes off and tasting every inch of her lithe body. What would she taste like?

  Was she a screamer or more calm?

  She pulled back to look at him.

  He brought his gaze up to her face and had to stifle a smile as she blushed.

  "We have a problem. There's a defect in two gaskets that are causing the radiation leak.

  We need to replace them."

  Great. He looked up at the camera where Vik kept watch on the ship. "Vik?"

  "Yes, my lord and tormentor?"

  "Do we have any spare gaskets for the reflectors?"

  "No."

  "Any particular reason why not?"

  "Sway's an idiot who didn't order them when we used up the last batch."

  "Isn't that your job?"

  "No. I'm the sub-idiot. Sway's head idiot because the company refuses to deal with mechas. Since I'm not organic, they think I can't pay."

  "Thanks, Vik."

  "Ever my pleasure to irritate you, sir."

  Devyn looked at Alix. "And the sarcasm just keeps on coming without end. Makes me proud. Really." He sobered. "Is it something that can wait?"

  "Depends on how much radiation you mind being exposed to. The levels are class two."

  He arched a brow as the doctor in him kicked in. "We don't want to have any three-headed children."

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