Favored by Felix (6 page)

Instinct told him to wait, to let her come
to trust him and confide her secrets when she was ready, but patience didn’t
sit comfortably on his shoulders. His feline didn’t like the idea of waiting
one single bit. Felix grunted as he worked. Never had he been so aware of his
feline pulsing under his skin. Oh, he was conscious of his dual nature, but
since meeting Casey, his feline struggled for control. Or was it his
imagination? Damn if he knew.

Maybe he’d shift later tonight, ask his
brothers or Scarlett if they’d like to go for a run. They could hunt for zylon,
and make sure the population around the resort remained low.

“I’m ready.”

Felix turned and almost choked on his
tongue. In deference to the tropical heat, Scarlett had sent a pair of brief
shorts that showed off Casey’s long, lean legs and a tight T-shirt in a hot
pink to rival the surrounding vegetation. The words
Mega Babe
were
emblazoned on the front across her breasts.

“You look gorgeous,” he said.

She tugged at the hem of the short T-shirt.
“I don’t usually show this much skin.”

“You should,” he said. “Let’s go.”

She picked up the bag and a box without
being asked and followed Felix from the hut.

A piercing wolf-whistle rang out, echoed by
a second one.

“Eyes off,” Felix snapped. “You’re here to
transport us home, not to ogle my woman.”

“But the scenery is so pretty,” Joe said
with a wink.

Felix checked Casey’s reaction and found her
blushing, although her eyes were wide and brought to mind a startled child. Had
she never experienced flirtation? Maybe not, considering her father the general
and her career path to squad leader. Perhaps he’d let the twins continue to
flirt with her.

He gritted his teeth and ignored the mental
snarl of his feline.

“Let me help you into the shuttle, Casey,”
Sly said and rushed forward to take the bag and box. “Here, Joe.” He thrust
them at his twin. “Stow these, will ya?”

Joe muttered a low curse and Felix smothered
a grin as he went to gather the last of the supplies.

* * * * *

The shuttle ride took longer than Casey
expected, although she hadn’t been conscious on the outward journey. The jungle
they flew over was thick and vibrant with color.

“Fuck, there’s one of those big birds over
to the right,” Joe said.

Casey peered out the window and saw the
bird soaring toward them. The wingspan was incredible, bigger than any bird she’d
ever seen.

“It’s heading straight for us,” Felix said
in a tight voice.

“Don’t worry,” Joe said. “I think we’ll be
more maneuverable.”

Scurvy space pirates.
The bird was going to attack. Fear slid into Casey, jacked her
pulse rate and set adrenaline charging through her veins.

Felix reached for her hand. “Steady,
sweetheart. Joe is a top-notch pilot.”

“He really is,” Sly said with pride. “Lucky
he’s
flying and not me.”

“Do these birds come near the resort?”
Casey asked in a faint voice. The bird was so close now she could make out the
hook of its beak and the glint of the predator in its beady eyes.

Joe shifted the path of the shuttle and the
bird adjusted accordingly. Casey curled her fingers around Felix’s, thought of
dying, crashing in a huge fireball because of a bird. Imagine that. The general
would fall into one of his famous rages, where he threw the nearest
thing—object or hapless aide—at the wall or the floor and stomped out his anger
at not getting his way.

A laugh ripped from deep in her chest,
taking her by surprise.

“That’s the spirit,” Sly said, his hands
racing across the weapon controls. “We’re gonna send this bird back to its ma.”

“You okay?” Felix murmured.

She squeezed his hand. Surprisingly, she
was fine. If she died, she did so with her own memories, and the man she’d come
to like and respect would be at her side.

“I’m gonna fly close to give you a killing
shot, so get ready,” Joe said. “Fire!”

The entire shuttle shuddered, dropped hard
and fast. Casey’s stomach duplicated the move and she let out a cry of alarm.

“There’s another fuckin’ bird behind us,”
Sly said. “Fuck it. I missed.”

“Damage report,” Felix demanded.

“Our surveillance equipment is off,” Joe
said. “Otherwise we’re in good shape.”

Their calm acceptance of the situation went
a long way toward jerking Casey back into military status. “I’ll watch out this
window,” she said.

“I’ll watch this side,” Felix said.

“Coming in fast from your right,” Casey
said.

Joe put the shuttle into a steep climb. “First
bird ahead,” he said.

“On it,” Sly said and fired. Once. Twice.

The shuttle bucked. The bird issued an
eerie shriek, its giant wings faltering.

“Shot,” Joe said.

“Second bird now coming in from the left,”
Felix warned.

Joe made the shuttle drop rapidly.

“I see it,” Sly said.

“Fire,” Joe snapped.

Sly fired and the bird screamed. It paused,
hovering in the air in front of the shuttle before swooping downward and away.

“What happened to the other bird?” Felix
asked. “Do you see it, Casey?”

“Not on my side.”

Joe zipped upward and turned the shuttle. “I
see it. Ahead at one o’clock. It’s retreating. Wow, that was a trip. Let’s get
our
bird home.”

Casey relaxed and sank back into her seat.

Felix laid his hand on her knee. “Good job.
I’m glad you’re not a wimpy female.”

“I second that,” Sly said. “We wouldn’t
have escaped as easily if you hadn’t kept your cool.”

Praise. It washed over her like a gentle
balm. She
had
done a good job. She always did, but it was kind of sad
that it took three strangers to recognize her expertise.

“I’ll check out the shuttle once we get
back to the resort,” Felix said. “All the gauges are right?”

Joe scanned the instrument panel. “Yeah,
apart from the rear surveillance cameras. They’ve gone black.”

Casey went back to watching the passing
scenery while the three brothers chatted to one another about various things to
do around the resort.

In the distance, a plume of dark-purple
smoke rose from a conical-shaped hill. The occasional opening showed in the
treetops, but mostly the jungle appeared thick and difficult to penetrate. She’d
traveled through terrain like that before and didn’t have fond memories of the
experience. Not only had she lost a man, but the entire squad had suffered from
a foreign rash that itched like the blazes for weeks after returning to base.

Finally, their shuttle touched down.

“Home sweet home,” Joe said.

“We’re going to have to wait until Saber
gets back to get the approval to plant the vines,” Sly said.

Vines? Casey started paying attention to
the conversation.

“You two are responsible for the farming
side. If you think conditions are right for planting, I say go for it,” Felix
said. “You want me to take a look? Tell you what I think?”

“Yeah, that would be great,” Joe said. “Can
you do it now before you start working on the shuttle?”

Casey intercepted Felix’s quick look at
her. “I’m curious about what you’re talking about. Take me too.”

Felix relaxed his shoulders and shot her a
blinding smile filled with approval. In a daze, she climbed out of the shuttle
and followed Felix and his brothers from the landing zone. They strode past a
huge shed, its yawning double doors letting her gawk at the pieces of machinery
and tools, most of which were foreign to her, and toward an open area. The soil
was turned and loose and ready for planting.

Felix crouched and scooped up a handful of
soil. “Looks good. How did the tests come out?”

“Better than the home vineyard,” Joe said,
and Casey heard the excitement in his voice. She listened as the three men
discussed technical stuff that made not a jot of sense to her, watched the
animation on their faces and couldn’t help but see the obvious affection
between the brothers. It was difficult not to contrast her family life—not that
they ever spent much time together—and the way they were all expected to confer
with the general. The general had always made the decisions, and
still
expected to make them for his adult children. Once a Seonaid, always a Seonaid.

Some of the good mood, the calmness she’d
claimed since Felix had wrapped her in his arms last night, started to
dissipate. The hard-fought-for tranquility sank through her toes and into the
ground beneath her feet.

“Casey?”

Her head jerked up, and she realized she
must have made a sound.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

“Nothing.” But it wasn’t nothing. It was
everything, and the entire mass of hurt and pain threatened to pull her under
and squeeze the air from her lungs.

“I’ll get you back to the resort,” Felix
said, and slipped her arm around her trembling shoulders. “I think you should
plant the vines now, guys. Conditions are optimum. Besides, Casey likes our
wine. We’ll need to have more to refill our cellar.”

Casey let Felix guide her to the resort,
her mind dwelling on his words. The future. He spoke as if they’d see each
other, know each other.

She didn’t have a future.

Unless…unless she stood up to the general
and said no. The idea sent spurts of panic pumping through her, hard enough to
make her tremble.

She’d tried to say no before, had attempted
to exert her independence. Memories of dark cupboards and no meals. The
disappearance of her pet furbie.

“You don’t look well, sweetheart,” Felix
said. “I don’t like the way you keep shivering, and you look exhausted. I’ll
get Ma to take a look at you. She’ll know what to do.”

Casey nodded, since he seemed to expect
some kind of reassurance in exchange for his concern. She let him guide her
past a busy kitchen and down a long corridor. Finally they came to an open courtyard.
The same lush tropical plants in vivid pinks and blues that filled the resort
were planted here, with a few green trees with copper-colored trunks to cast
shade. A pale-pink fountain, shiny in the solar sun, made a tinkling sound and
somewhere a bird sang a sweet, melodious song.

Felix knocked on a door.

“Ma,” he said when the door opened. “This
is Casey. She’s not feeling very well. Can you take a look at her?”

The woman was tall with dark hair
elaborately arranged on top of her head, and she possessed gray eyes, not green
ones like her sons. Lines fanned around her eyes when she smiled and stood
aside to let them enter.

“My son,” she said. “She is very pretty.
Come, my dear.” She took Casey’s hand and tugged her to a seating area. It was
nothing like her mother’s immaculate rooms, done in an endless sea of white
with syn-chrome accents. This room was a riot of color, blues and greens with
splashes of turquoise and crimson, yet it seemed to marry together into a
peaceful and comfortable abode. A spicy scent permeated the air and the low
notes of a song came from the corner, a male voice crooning along with the
music.

Casey let the woman push her down on a
couch.

“Let me get some refreshments,” she said. “Have
you heard from Saber?”

“Not since last night. He said he was fine.”

“I know,” the woman said. “Saber is very
resourceful, but I worry. It’s a mother’s job.”

Felix laughed and gave the woman an
affectionate cuddle before she pulled away with a throaty chuckle and hurried
from the room.

He’d
hugged
his mother. She’d been
worried
.

“Something wrong?” Felix asked, taking a
seat beside her. Although there was plenty of room, he crowded against her and
slipped an arm around her shoulders, as if he couldn’t resist the physical
contact.

“My mother never hugs me. I can’t remember—”
She broke off, aghast at the admission. She was forbidden from discussing her
parents or brothers with anyone, except in the most general terms.

“Never?”

“No.” Her reply sounded small. Ashamed.

He took her hand in his and squeezed, a
silent commiseration. “I’ll make up for it. I promise.” And his eyes glowed
with a brighter jade green as he sealed his promise with a kiss.

“I’m worried about her, Ma.”

Felix sat with his mother later that night.
Casey was in his bed a few doors down, fast asleep, her slumber aided by one of
his mother’s special tonics.

“She’s underweight and looks exhausted. I
don’t think it’s anything more serious than stress. I think she’s come to the
point where something is worrying her so much, it’s affecting her physically.”

“So what do I do? I’m keeping her, Ma. I
like her a lot. She’s feisty yet vulnerable and makes me want to look after
her.”

“How’s the sex?”

“Ma! I’m not telling you that.”

A burst of humor showed in her gray eyes. “Can’t
be much wrong in that department then. I knew I brought you and your brothers
up right.”

“You have done a stellar job, Ma.” Felix
paused, considered. “No, nothing wrong there. In fact, she seems more relaxed
after sex. It’s the in-between times that are a problem.”

“When she has time to stew,” Anna Mitchell
said. “The more I hear, the more I think this is a classic case of stress. She’ll
need lots of rest and relaxation, plenty of one-on-one time from you. She needs
to fill her time with things she enjoys doing—maybe a hobby of some kind.”

“She likes to sew,” Felix said, after
thinking hard. “She mentioned something about doing her own designs.”

“Perfect. Scarlett and I were discussing
opening a shop that caters to our female guests. Clothes, maybe jewels and
beauty products. We think it will be another revenue stream. Maybe she’d like
to help?”

Felix nodded, his mind busily prodding for
disadvantages to the idea. He couldn’t see any.

“Why don’t I ask Scarlett to drag her off
tomorrow morning? It will keep her busy. Scarlett won’t let anything happen to
her,” Anna said.

“Thanks. At the moment, she still thinks
she’s catching the shuttle home tomorrow. I might have to lock her up if she
objects.”

“Don’t worry, son. I’ve seen her watch you.
She likes you, so it may not be as difficult as you think.”

“I hope so.” His communicator squawked at
him and he absently picked it up to answer. “Yeah?”

“It’s Saber. I can’t talk for long. Any
problems?”

“Everything is fine.” No need to tell Saber
about the bird attack or the damage to the shuttle. The vines. He’d dealt with
it, and if Saber didn’t like his decisions, too bad. “Do you want to talk to
Ma?”

“Not now. Just wanted you to know we’re
about four or five days out from the resort, I think. Depends on the terrain. I
might not get a chance to call again, but don’t panic. Gotta go,” he said.

“Saber,” Felix said to his mother. “He said
he’ll be another four days at least before he gets home.”

“I hope everything is going well. Saber
needs someone after Lori. I never thought that girl was right for him.” She
paused. “Don’t you dare repeat that to anyone.”

“I won’t. I’d better go and check on Casey
before I head to the workshop.”

“The remedy I gave her should keep her out
at least until the morning. She needs the sleep. She’ll feel much better for
it. I’ll talk to Scarlett for you, and we’ll put our plan into action. It will
be nice to have the opinion of another woman. Sometimes I think Scarlett’s head
stays in her technological equipment, and she answers me on automatic. I can’t
be sure her opinion is objective.”

“Okay, Ma. Say good night to Scarlett for
me. See you tomorrow.”

“Call me if you need me, son.”

Felix kissed his mother and left the room.
He spared a few minutes to check on Casey. She was curled up on her side, her
face relaxed and so vulnerable it broke his heart. Unable to resist, he brushed
his fingers over her cheek, saw once again the shadows under her eyes.

She curled toward his hand, making him
smile, his heart do a tiny somersault. He considered crawling into the bed with
her, attempting to kiss her awake. No. He forced himself to walk away because
as much as he’d love to run his hands over her breasts and slip inside her
body, she needed her rest.

* * * * *

Laughter woke her. Casey went into military
mode and used her senses. She was at the resort in Felix’s private rooms.

So who was the female part of the laughter
out in the other room?

Jealousy sprang to the fore, taking her by
surprise. She didn’t have the right. Casey twisted her head to survey the other
pillow, satisfied when there was a distinct dent. Felix had slept beside her
throughout the night.

More laughter sounded.

“You’re awake,” Felix said. “Would you like
some breakfast? We have coffee too. Do you drink that?”

“Yes.” Casey hesitated and glanced past
Felix to see a woman.

“Good,” she said. “You’re up. I was
starting to wonder if you were ever going to rouse.”

Felix put his arm around the woman. “This
is my sister Scarlett. Scarlett, this is Casey Seonaid. Scarlett organized your
bags to be delivered to my rooms. All your clothes and possessions are here.”

“But what about Eva? It was my idea to
bring her here for a treat. She’ll be worried about me.”

“Eva Henry?” Scarlett asked.

“Yes.”

“She’s with my brother Saber, exploring the
other side of the island. He said they’ll be several days and won’t have com
access.”

Disappointment seared through Casey and her
shoulders slumped. Her chest tightened, and she had to force herself to breathe
through the pinch of pressure. “I’m glad she’s enjoying herself. She needed to
focus on her business but I sort of shanghaied her into coming on this trip.”

Because she’d been too much of a coward to
admit the truth to Eva. That she’d never see her again.

A knock sounded on the door and it burst
open.

“We have a problem,” Joe said.

His twin stood right behind him, a grim
expression on his handsome face.

“Do you need me?” Scarlett asked.

“Someone cut a hole in the fence again,”
Joe said.

Casey’s gaze cut to Felix. His eyes had
gone hard. “Any zylon get through?”

“None that I scented,” Sly said. “One of
the other guys is watching the hole.”

“Right.” Felix turned to her and drew her
close, then, right in front of his brothers and sister, he kissed her. The
exchange wasn’t as long or as heated as usual, but when he lifted his head, she
was still breathing faster. “Scarlett has a project she wants your help with. I’ll
try not to be too long.”

She acknowledged his words with a nod, but
all she could think was he’d kissed her in front of his family. He’d offered
his affection without coercion, without concern, without shame. Her fingers
rose to her tingling lips and she touched them as Felix followed his brothers
out the door.

He’d kissed her openly.

Scarlett chuckled. “You have it bad for my
brother. You should see your expression. You look stunned.”

Casey felt heat creep into her cheeks.

“Don’t act all embarrassed. I think it’s
cute. Felix is my favorite brother. Do you want something to eat? Ma suggested
I take you to her rooms, and we’ll eat together while we explain our idea to
you. Ma’s idea, really,” she added. “What are you going to wear today? You have
some gorgeous clothes.”

Scarlett’s cheerful chatter pelted her,
another layer to add to her shock. The Mitchell family was nothing like hers,
and it made her start to wonder. Why did a person have to live their life in
such isolation? Just because the general shouted louder than her, louder than
her brothers, louder than her mother, did that mean he was always right?

His order for her to undergo gender change—he’d
made it sound logical, sensible. The only decision possible. He’d made it seem
right
.

“Put on this one,” Scarlett said, pulling a
dress in shades of gold and bronze and silver off a hanger. “Where did you
purchase it? I haven’t seen anything like this in Dalcon. I’m obviously
shopping at the wrong shops. Sanitizer unit is through there.”

Casey forced something resembling a smile
and fled into the privacy of the unit. While she waited for the cycle to
complete, her mind jingled with random thoughts.

The Mitchells were friendly, affectionate,
wanted to spend time with her.

No one, apart from Eva, had ever attempted
to seek out her company. There were too many difficulties because of rank,
because of her position, because of the general.

The cycle finished and she went back to the
main bedroom, realizing she’d forgotten to gather her underwear.

“Wow, you have a gorgeous figure,” Scarlett
said.

Casey froze, aware of her nakedness and her
body in a way that wasn’t familiar. She hurriedly held her dress in front of
her.

“Sorry. There I go embarrassing you again.
You’re so slim, while I have these stupid curves.”

Another argument given by the general. She
lacked the strength of a man, would never bulk up or be a top soldier because
she was physically weak. The change would muscle her up, give her the necessary
might.

“Thank you.”

Scarlett grinned. “You need to show me
where you shop. When I heard you were military, I worried a little. I didn’t
think you’d make a good match for Felix, but now I see you’re perfect.” She
must have caught something in Casey’s expression because her grin widened. “Don’t
mind me. My brothers tell me I talk too much. They say if I left my computers
and technology alone more often and found real people to talk to, I wouldn’t
feel the need to run off my mouth. I say
pooh
to them.”

Affection—pure and simple—colored the
complaint.

“Hurry up and get dressed. I’m starving,
and I can smell Ma’s cinnamon buns. They’re my favorite, even though they go
straight to my ass and hips. Luckily, I have a fast metabolism.”

Casey donned her underwear, a pair of
skimpy panties and a matching bra her aunt had purchased for her as a gift. She
sniffed and couldn’t smell a thing. “I can’t smell anything.”

“No, you wouldn’t. My brothers and I have
exceptional scent detection.” Scarlett grinned—wide and bright. “It’s a family trait.”

Casey slid the dress over her head and
pulled the stretchy material into place. It hugged her body and made her feel
ultra-feminine—the reason she’d chosen the fabric and made this particular
design.

“Gorgeous,” Scarlett said. “Shoes?”

Casey found a comfortable pair of shoes and
set the design button on the side to the color gold. As she slipped her feet
into the shoes, they turned a shade that complemented her dress.

Scarlett’s eyes widened. “Get out of town!”

“Pardon?”

“Your shoes. Where did you get them? Do
they turn any color you want? Are they expensive? I want some.”

“My aunt designs them, and I can change
them to any color within their chosen color palette,” Casey said. “She has a
shop on Dalcon.”

“I’ll start saving,” Scarlett muttered,
almost to herself. “Let’s go. Ma has put the coffee on.”

Casey followed Scarlett from Felix’s rooms,
out into the bright solar shine.

“Ah, good timing,” Anna Mitchell said as
they entered her suite. “I’ve just pulled the cinnamon buns from the hot cube.”

“I know,” Scarlett said. “Ma, you have to
check out Casey’s shoes. Her aunt designed them. They have this little button.
Show Ma, Casey. Change them.”

“Don’t order her around, Scarlett,” Anna
said. “Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well? You’re looking more rested. What
a beautiful dress. It suits your coloring to perfection.”

“You never told me where you purchased it,”
Scarlett said.

“I made it,” Casey said, the bombardment of
conversation almost too much for her to handle. Eva wasn’t like this.

Anna and Scarlett both stared at her,
exchanged a look, then studied her again.

“You made it?” Scarlett asked. “What about
your other clothes?”

“I made them too. Mostly I wear my uniform,
so I don’t get to wear them very often.”

“Oh my god, Ma. She made them
and
her aunt designed the shoes. Show her, Casey. Will they go bronze or silver?”

Casey changed the dial and her shoes
shifted to bronze and silver stripes.

Scarlett clapped her hands together. “How
much are they?”

“Does your aunt live on Dalcon, dear?”

Casey nodded and took a seat at a table
when Anna gestured for her to do so.

“Has she ever considered moving?” Anna
asked while busying herself with pouring cups of coffee.

“She says she stays on Dalcon because that’s
where I’m based.” A tight sensation wrapped around her chest, making Casey
focus on breathing, strain for air.

Scarlett and Anna exchanged a glance and
seemed to silently communicate, because Anna gave a brief nod.

“That’s nice, dear,” Anna said. “Have one
of my cinnamon buns while they’re hot.”

“Before Felix and the twins arrive. They’ll
be able to smell them,” Scarlett said and slid one on her plate.

“Scarlett and I are considering opening a
boutique here at the resort—a new service for our guests. We thought we’d sell
clothes, shoes and perhaps jewelry. What do you think?”

They were asking
her
? Why?

Both women waited patiently and the silence
lengthened. Casey bit into her cinnamon bun to cover her confusion.

“I don’t suppose we could talk your aunt
into visiting?” Anna asked finally. “We could send her a com right now and
invite her. Have you seen her recently?”

Casey shook her head. She seemed to be
doing a lot of that with the Mitchells. She swallowed the cinnamon bun. It was delicious.
Light and buttery and tasting of fragrant spices. “No, I haven’t seen her in
person since my last leave.”

“That’s settled then. We’ll invite her for
a visit and see if we can entice her to set up a shop here at the resort.” She
whipped out her com-circle. “What is her frequency, dear?”