TakeMeHard (2 page)

She smiled at him while she kept her hands on the controls. "Take a guess."

He frowned and shook his head slightly as if there was something teasing him that was just out of reach. "Where are we going?"

"My ship."

"I thought this was your ship."

"No, just a shuttle. My ship is in orbit and is laying down covering fire as well as an attack on the facility." She did a double check on the trajectory of fire and moved up and out of the atmosphere before any of the drones that were flying at her could touch her hull.

"You are quite the pilot." His tone was admiring.

"I get around."

She felt his shock as the Solar Knife came into view.

"That's a…"

She grinned with pride as they came in from space-side and slide into the berth waiting for them. She opened the shuttle-wide speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Solar Knife. The host computer is named T'shnadar. Ask her anything and she will try and answer you. I am Zoe Hagerson of Norville Nine and I welcome you to my home."

"Hagerson! That is where I know you from. Your family is one of the primary design families in the united worlds."

Zoe kept from rolling her eyes by an act of will. "Yes, I am one of those Hagersons. It was how I was able to get past Dorsos. He was only too happy to sleaze all over me in an effort to gain favour with my family."

She locked the ship into place and unlocked all hatches. No sense making anyone feel trapped.

With a sigh, she spoke to her ship. "T'shnadar, please get us underway. I want as much space between us and Gathara as possible."

"Of course, Zoe. Congratulations on the success of your mission."

"Thank you, T'shnadar. Keep me apprised of any pursuit."

"Of course, Zoe."

She smiled and gestured for her guests to follow her out of the shuttle. She walked past a few couples, one where the woman had a huge and pregnant belly and she smiled kindly.

"Everyone, if you come with me, there is plenty of food and clothing for you." Zoe helped the folks to their feet and noticed the others of her set doing the same.

Exiting the shuttle, she breathed deeply of the surprisingly fresh air. She designed long-haul warships and they all contained a huge garden with the plants of Norville Nine within. The air was circulated throughout the ship, giving her creations a fresher atmosphere than most warships of the same size.

"Would you like to see the private quarters or have a tour?"

Over half of those rescued wanted private quarters. Her men and six others opted for the tour.

Zoe smiled and led them down the halls, showing them the colour-coded lines that would take them around the ship. When you designed a warship, you had to be able to find your way around in it, ease of use was paramount. Keeping the Solar Knife for herself had never been in her plans, but she was glad that she had it booked for a shakedown tour when she got the news about the missing blenders.

Knowing that her set was in danger was all that she needed to know.

Her father had kept tabs on the lion set, making sure that he always knew where they were in case his daughter decided to find them. There were perks to being wealthy and influential and Tornen had passed those perks along to his daughter, Zoe.

She had grown up hidden from the public, but well-known behind the scenes. Her father's talent for design had made them wealthy and her talent for promotion had brought the influence. Together, they were one heck of a team.

Zoe brought her guests to the quarters that had been prepared for them. "Choose your rooms at random. If a door opens to you, you can take it as your own. There are food dispensers in the dining hall and you have access to any part of the ship but the engines. After you all get some rest, we can discuss where you want to go."

Those who wanted some privacy immediately scattered, leaving her alone with her three men and three couples, including the pregnant woman. She walked them to the green space that took up a vast section of the ship.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Zoe Hagerson. Please feel free to introduce yourself."

The pregnant woman smiled, "I am Maasha, this is Liiro."

She and her companion's skin tone was a blend of patterns in dozens of different hues. The skin around their eyes formed masks and was quite striking.

"Do you need to go in for any medical scans, Maasha?"

Maasha caressed her belly. "No, I think the little one is fine."

"Medical is the green stripe. The scanners are set for all of our species, so it should be able to work out what is going on within you if you need it."

"Thank you." Maasha bowed as gracefully as she could and smiled.

"Tirk."

The male stood apart from the woman next to him. They were albinos, no pigment anywhere aside from the red of their blood visible in their eyes.

The pale female nodded her head. "Carrah."

The pair on the other side of the spectrum of colouration stood close together. The female gestured to her and her partner. "Delari and Delios."

Zoe smiled while she took in their postures. "You are siblings."

Delari grinned. "Yes, we are. Very good. Most think we were designed to be mates, but we simply are not interested."

Everyone chuckled.

Zoe nodded. "I understand completely."

Her set bowed to her. "We are Jarix, Leos and Trin. Peacekeepers."

"I am aware of your origins, gentlemen. Now, shall we commence with the tour?"

The customized genetic creations nodded for her to start. She didn't keep them waiting.

She toured them through the entertainment centres, the bridge, the controls and the dining halls. For the final bit of the tour, she showed them the heart of the ship.

"Welcome to my favourite place in the ship, the gardens. They not only add oxygen to our atmosphere, but they provide a source for additional food supplements and vitamins. Feel free to enjoy them in any way you see fit." Zoe threw her arms wide and turned around, letting the air of the gardens wash over her.

The silk of her gown clung to her. The humidity pressed it against her skin. Her males didn't stare, but they did start scenting the air.

She shivered at the confused expressions in their faces. "T'shnadar, please set the light cycle for standard Norville daylight."

"Of course, Zoe. Would you and your mates like to adjourn to your quarters?"

Zoe froze as three pairs of astonished eyes and six amused gazes made her their targets.

Her men grouped around her, sniffing her hair, skin and clothing. She stayed very still, trying not to cause any more ruckus than normal. "Thank you for that, T'shnadar. I was going to ease them into the idea."

Jarix reached out and his hand shifted from almost human to a claw. He shredded the front of her elegant gown into tatters, exposing her mark on the inside of her left breast, over her heart.

"Ours. Our woman came to save us and we didn't even see her." Leos shook his head in amazement.

Trin stood behind her and inhaled deeply. "She doesn't smell right."

Zoe flinched as they all took another deep snort of her body.

Leos and Jarix shook their heads. "This isn't right. We should recognize her."

T'shnadar's voice came out of the ship's speakers. "Gentlemen, she has been taking supplements to hold off her heat. The chemicals have altered her physiology slightly. Her body chemistry is a little skewed. It will return to normal in the next two days."

Zoe sighed as the computer, with her mother's voice, filled in all the blanks for them and amused the hell out of her other companions.

She faced the three accusing males and winced. "I was going to tell you, I swear."

Jarix shifted his hand back from claws to fingers and caressed the skin he had exposed. "Why do I think that you are lying?"

Chapter Three

Arousal started to override her chemical suppressant. She winced as lust caused a rush of honey between her thighs while Jarix traced the lion in black and gold embossed on her skin.

"I think we will just leave you alone." Maasha and her mate gave them a wide berth and she jerked her head to get the others to follow her.

Zoe was alone with her men and they were circling her with a lazy, predatory stride. Her senses were on edge, but the chemicals dampened her reactions. As she watched them, they shifted into their feline forms and wandered around her, rubbing against her thighs.

They nudged and steered her toward one of the benches before resuming their other forms.

She sat in her shredded gown and stared at them. "I really was going to tell you." Zoe waited while they assessed her from head to toe.

Trin finally pronounced, "I thought your hair would be lighter."

She chuckled and flicked at her dark honey locks. "It is a rinse. My eyes are a little freakish, so I wear lenses and dye my hair."

Jarix knelt in front of her. "Take the lenses out."

His earnest bronze eyes convinced her.

She reached up and slipped the right lens off, earning a gasp from Trin and Leos. She knew that they were staring into a bright gold feline eye and when she removed her other lens, her vision resumed its usual acuity.

Everything became brighter, motions caught her attention and her senses kicked into high gear. The leaves in the garden rustled in the winds generated by the fans, bringing a memory of her home.

She sighed in relief and balled up the lenses. "I was going to stop wearing them anyway."

Leos used a light touch to turn her head toward his. "How long have you hidden yourself?"

"Only for the last four years. When I took a position at my father's design firm, I had to blend in." She laughed lightly. "A blender blending in, get it?"

They smiled.

Now that she had a chance to relax and enjoy their presence, she let herself actually look at them. Jarix had a scar that crossed his exposed chest on the right shoulder, ran across the left and down to his navel, disappearing into the waistband of his trousers.

His skin was shades darker than her own, his hair a burnished bronze. His eyes were a golden green at close range. The mark of their set, the lunging lion, was set proudly over his heart.

Leos was made in shades of gold, right to his eyes, while Trin had a hint of blue in his golden eyes and waves of red in his hair.

They were equally well muscled but wore scars in different places.

Zoe was curious but didn't ask where they had come from. It would be enough for her to learn it later, when they were safe.

"Gentlemen, while this is all very charming and I do look forward to spending more time with you, this dress is a little drafty and I need to check in with T'shnadar to determine the level of pursuit that Dorsos has launched. He is going to be very excited if he survived the attack on his facility."

Jarix nodded. "We will accompany you. Everything that concerns you concerns us and so, we will come with you wherever you go on this ship."

She twisted her lips. She had been looking forward to some alone time to adjust to the overwhelming sensations that they were sending through her by their very presence.

"Fine. First to my quarters and then to the bridge." She took Trin's hand and he helped her back to her feet.

Pattering along the halls with her set around her was surreal. For years, she had focused on crafting the ideal battle ship, but now it was a haven for other folks just like her. While she remembered some of the girls that she had left the decanting facility with, she had never considered the others who were being created just for the purpose of scientific exploration.

Dorsos's little menagerie was only the tip of the iceberg. Dozens of genetic splices, blends and mutations were held captive around the worlds and she was only beginning to realize the larger problem that she faced.

If she started to collect her own people, she would be no better than Dorsos.

Her quarters were near the bridge. The door slid open silently when she palmed the lock.

Trin whistled at the expanse of her rooms. "I have never seen captain's quarters so large."

She grinned and crossed the room to her wardrobe. "I designed them with our set in mind." Zoe blushed as she let the gown simply slide from her shoulders, leaving her in nothing but panties. She grabbed a ship suit from her selection and tugged it on.

When it was up to her waist, she gestured to the other wardrobes around the room. "You all have a selection of clothing if you want to change. Boots, suits, trousers and shirts."

She turned to pull the suit up over her shoulders and smiled when she saw them delving into all the tech that had been installed. Drawers, bunks, amenities were all sliding in and out of the walls as they touched and explored.

Trin was fascinated by her data station, Jarix by the lav and Leos was going through her linen cupboard.

She closed up her suit and took a pair of socks and boots, sitting on the chest at the end of her bed. Zoe pulled her socks on and slid her feet into the boots, wiggling her toes happily. New socks were a pleasure that she never outgrew.

Zoe got to her feet and put her hands on her hips. "You can continue to explore, I am heading to the bridge for a heart to heart with the stealth system."

Jarix grinned and poked his head around the door, shampoo causing the gold locks to spike. "We will meet you there soon. This ship is amazing."

Laughter burst out of her and she wove her hair into a loose braid, leaving her rooms to the three men scavenging her belongings and playing with her toys.

She made it to the bridge and took the captain's chair, bringing the three-dimensional displays up to assess their position. Heading back to Norville Nine was out of the question, but she did have to make a call.

"T'shnadar, please call my father."

"Of course, Zoe."

The reply system was set up to remind Zoe that she was in charge. She had a tendency to forget that she was responsible for the ship unless reminded. Directly addressing the computer by name let it run an inflection and voice comparison to make sure that no commands were being given under duress.