Armored Hearts (10 page)

“And it backfired on them, because it just made us fight harder. We didn’t want to be ruled by the kind of asshole who thinks like that.”

“And according to the Treaty of Vermillion, that kind of shit is a war crime punishable by death. I took an oath to uphold that treaty, and I don’t break my oaths.”

“Okay, I can understand that.” Zara had no trouble believing that, considering his outrage when he found his men attempting to rape her. She frowned. “But why did your mother get involved?”

“Because I told her what was going on. Mom may have moments of ruthless practicality, but she agrees with me: you just don’t massacre whole villages of children and old people.”

“Okay, but why didn’t she just go to the Interstellar Union, get them involved enforcing the treaty?”

He snorted and turned to flip the lid off one of the crates piled up around the chamber. “Involving the Union would have taken months, maybe years of political bullshit, with Godsson claiming innocence while he went on looting Falara. Meanwhile God alone knows how many people would have died. That’s why I got my mother involved instead of using some of my other contacts in the government.”

Zara blinked. “She must be spending millions on this.”

“Oh, yeah, but when you own your own planet, you’ve got it to throw around. Luckily there are an awful lot of unemployed mercenaries running around right now, not to mention her own small army of security. They’re still outnumbered, but their equipment and training is far superior, and their officers can actually find their dicks with both hands. Which is more than I can say for Godsson and his thugs.”

“And Godsson really believed she wanted to do a business deal in the middle of a war?”

“That was the trickiest bit of the whole thing,” Rand admitted. “We were worried he wouldn’t fall for it. Luckily, he’s a greedy bastard. All she had to do was wave money in his face and talk about a partnership. He couldn’t resist the idea of being associated with Adela Rand. He probably thought he could leverage the publicity into more worshippers.”

“Moron.” She gave him a searching look. “So that gave your mother and her men the chance to kill him?”

“Yeah.” His expression went grim. “She set up a high level meeting with Godsson and his senior cronies. She planned to take in a cadre of fighters and take on them all. That was the part I was most nervous about, because it would mean a pitched battle between her mercs and his bodyguards, and she could end up dead. But she insisted, and I couldn’t come up with a better plan. Luckily, she pulled it off -- thank God.”

Hope bloomed in her chest for the first time in months. “The whole invasion will collapse now that your mother’s cut the head off the snake.”

“Probably. Godsson’s surviving cronies will start fighting it out to see who gets to be god now, while the rest of the G.A.E. just struggles to get the hell off Falara.”

“And good riddance to them. But what’s this about an attack on Heavensgate Base?”

Rand shrugged. “Mom’s insurance policy. She figured Lordsvengeance would try to take me hostage in order to force her to let him and his thugs go. Then he’d most likely kill me, given that he’s basically a vicious psycho.”

“Assuming you didn’t tear his head off his shoulders first,” Zara said. “You
are
a vampire.”

“A vampire facing three hundred to one odds. I’m good, but I’m not good enough to defeat an entire battalion of Heavensgate mechs.” He waved a gesture at the surrounding cave. “I set up this bolthole as a contingency in case I needed somewhere to retreat. I’d originally intended to go after Lordsvengeance at the same time Mom attacked Godsson. Then you came along.”

“Wait a minute --
I’m
the reason we’re out here instead of back at the base, kicking Lordsvengeance in the balls?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t want to risk you.”

“Rand, I’m V.S.S.” Zara glowered at him, offended. “Defending my planet is why I enlisted in the program. I’ve been at war for two years, and I can assure you I haven’t been sitting on my ass. I’m not some helpless little civilian.”

He glared right back. “Zara, you don’t have a mechsuit. They blew it up.”

“We could have packed it!”

“And make Lordsvengeance instantly suspicious? POWs do not need mech armor.”

Zara deflated. “Yeah, okay.” She studied him. “You’re serious? We came here to protect
me
? Why?”

“I said I would not let them have you and I meant it. Look, if Lordsvengeance took you, he could force me to surrender.”

She winced. “And if they forced you to surrender, they could force your mother to give up and let the G.A.E. escape.”

“Exactly. Which is why we’ve got to be prepared for anything the bastards do next.”

* * *

Zara studied Rand’s handsome profile, gilded by the setting sun. There was a fine muscle ticking in his jaw as he gazed out through the opening of the landing cavern. He was fully armored, his helmet sitting on the stone floor by his hip as they sat together, his pulse rifle across his lap.

Sitting cross-legged beside him, Zara held one of the spare pulse rifles and a pack full of ammo clips on the floor beside her. It had been more than an hour now, and she was starting to hope they wouldn’t have to fight.

She joined Rand in scanning the horizon for oncoming craft. She’d have enjoyed the view if the situation hadn’t been so tense. The sun painted the blue, rolling hills with gilded light and turned the sky to a blazing crimson decorated with gilded clouds.

Judging from Rand’s grim expression, he wasn’t thinking about the view. “Wish you were helping your mother’s mercs take the base?”

“Yeah.” He rolled his broad shoulders. “I feel like a coward sitting back here safe while everyone else -- including my mother -- fights the battle I started.”

“We can always go back to the base.”

“I won’t put you at risk.” He looked at her, his expression hard, determined.

“Why not? I’m just a prisoner. Yeah, we’ve had some pretty good sex but…”

“You’re not a prisoner. Not anymore.” Rand gestured in the direction of Heavensgate. “The people who took you prisoner are currently getting their asses kicked.”

“And I should be doing the kicking. Or at least help you do it.”

“Not if it means getting killed.”

“Why do you care? I can see if we’d been lovers for months, but we only met last night.”

“Sometimes realizing someone’s special doesn’t take very long.”

She studied him, and felt something unfurl in her chest. Something that felt like hope or joy. Something she had no business feeling for a man she’d met only the night before.

Rand glanced off over the hills again, like a man who felt painfully vulnerable. “I’ve looked for someone like you all my life. I would’ve wanted you even before I became a vampire. Your intelligence, your wit, that suicidal bravery of yours…” Now he turned back to her, his expression intense. His voice lowered, going deep and rough. “And your generosity. You were willing to feed me even though you were a captive.”

“I didn’t see that I had a hell of a lot of choice.”

Now his golden eyes flashed in irritation. “You could’ve said no. I wouldn’t have pushed it. But even as bloody and wounded as you were, I could see you responded to me because you knew I was hurting. My men had just attempted to rape you, and yet you were willing to let me take your blood because I was hungry.”

“You weren’t just hungry. If you’ve simply skipped a meal or two, I would’ve said no. I’m not that big a martyr.” She shrugged. “I thought maybe I’d get lucky and you’d let me have some of your blood before I fucking died of blood sickness.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that was a factor. But you were also surprised when I offered you my wrist. You didn’t really expect me to feed you. And yet you were willing to give me your blood anyway.” His gaze searched hers. “You were willing to trust me with your
life
. When I fed from you, I felt a sense of connection between us I have never felt for any other woman in my life. The dominance and submission, the sex -- that’s a nice plus. But this…” He gestured back and forth between them. “The thing between us, it’s not just nice. Yeah, maybe it is just starting. Maybe this is only a newborn love, but I want to see what it grows up to be.”

Zara blinked, stunned and startled. Wondering what the fuck to say. Wondering if she dared admit that she, too, felt more than she’d feel for some vampire one-night stand, no matter how handsome.

Rand sighed, and his expression turned brooding. “I want something out of this damn war besides blood and terror and an inability to look at myself in the mirror.” His jaw flexed in a restless roll of determination. “I’m done with being a mercenary. I’m done with killing. Fifteen years of this shit is more than enough.”

“Frankly, I’m surprised you lasted that long.”

“It hasn’t been this damned bad before,” Rand explained. “I spent most of my career fighting with the same mercenary unit. There was a wonderful sense of comradery in fighting together. In knowing someone else always had your back.”

Zara nodded, remembering her brief, sad time with Andre. “I can understand that.”

“Unfortunately, my unit broke up when our commander decided to retire. Then there was the lack of warfare going on across the Interstellar Union, so most of the other vampires started looking around for something else to do with their lives. I was sitting in a bar getting loaded when this G.A.E. recruiter came in looking for mercs. I didn’t know a damn thing about the Godssonists, and I didn’t take the time to do my research.” He curled a lip in disgust. “And it bit me on the ass. Hell, it didn’t just bite my ass, it took a huge chunk out of it. Two years I’ve spent fighting this war and training the people who’ve been brutally raping Falara.” He turned to her and reached for her hand. She gave it to him, her chest aching. “I know how you feel about your people. Do you think you can forgive me for what I’ve done?”

Zara smiled. “Rand, you and your mother have
saved
my people. Or at least given us the first real chance we’ve had in two years. And you took a hell of a risk to do it. Your mother could have died killing Godsson, and Lordsvengeance will kill you if given the chance.” She brushed her fingertips against his cheek. “The way I see it, you saw evil and had the guts to do something about it. If more people had that kind of courage, the human race would be a hell of a lot better off.”

Rand grinned in obvious relief. “I did what I had to, baby. Otherwise my mirror and I would have come to a parting of the ways.” He paused, his gaze searching her face. “My mother and I have been talking. She’s planning to create a new philanthropic organization on Falara to help your people recover from the war. And she’s asked me to run it. I’ve got more experience killing people than helping them, so I’m going to need a lot of on-the-job training. Mom says she’s got some experts lined up to help, so I shouldn’t fuck it up too badly.”

Zara smiled slightly. “Knowing your compulsive perfectionism, you’ll be the best thing that ever happened to Falara. Besides, I’ve heard a lot about your mother’s charities. She does good work.”

Rand leaned toward her, his gaze intense. “Would you stay with me, help me? You’d make a great liaison between the charity and the Falarans. They might be more inclined to cooperate if you’re involved.”

She grinned, warmth expanding in her chest at the request.
He wants me to stay with him
! “It would be my honor.”

“And you’ll do a damned good job -- assuming we actually win this thing. A hell of a lot can go wrong. I…” He broke off, and his head snapped around toward the landing zone’s opening. “Oh, fuck.”

She followed his gaze and swore, seeing a pair of bright, slim shapes in the distance.

“Team transports,” he told her grimly, rising to his feet in a powerful rush of mech servos and vampire muscle. “They’re coming this way.”

Her mouth went dry as she scrambled up to stand next to him, peering at the horizon. “Maybe they’ll pass by. Could be headed to the spaceport.”

“They’re going in the wrong direction. The spaceport is east. Fortunately they’re not flying very fast -- probably worried about taking fire.”

“How the hell did they know we’re here? We could have gone anywhere after we left the base.”

“It’s like they’ve got some kind of…” Rand turned to her, his gaze flicking up and down her body. He froze, staring hard at her belly as if he could see right through her flesh. Which, given his sensors, he probably could. He started to swear in an impressive roll of profanity.

“What?” she demanded, alarmed.

“There’s a nanotracker stuck to your stomach wall. It’s broadcasting on a frequency we don’t normally use, so I never noticed it.”

Horrified, Zara looked down at herself. “When the hell did they do that? I never had any kind of surgery…”

“They probably slipped it into your food.”

She looked up at him, staring. “Why didn’t they tell you? Did the colonel suspect… ?”

“If he had, I assure you we’d both be in cells right now. Lordsvengeance is a career paranoid who plays his cards close to the vest. Probably because all the upper echelon Godssonists are constantly trying to stab each other in the back.”

“I’m crying for them,” Zara growled. “Now what the fuck are we going to do?”

He lifted the rifle, checked the charge. “We’re going to give them a very warm welcome.”

Zara lay on her belly, tension running through her nerves, her cheek pressed to the pulse rifle’s stock. The weapon’s muzzle was barely a centimeter from the camouflage field that disguised the entrance to the tunnel she lay in.

Rand had run back to their sleeping chamber, returning with a signal blocker she’d tucked into a pocket of her uni. The blocker would prevent the enemy from picking up the signal from their tracker.

Now he waited in the landing cavern’s larger tunnel, the one once used for transporting supplies into the base. They’d attack once the two transports touched down in the landing zone.

Zara spared a futile wish for an anti-craft battery, but the G.A.E. had stripped those weapons from the Falaran base after capturing it. Presumably about the same time they’d removed the bodies and sent cleansing bots in to remove all the blood.