Blue solace complete ser.., p.3
Blue Solace: Complete Series Boxset, page 3
“Captain, you shouldn’t glare so much. You’ll give yourself a headache.” Finn smiled. “Do you need me to ask Nettle to give you a shot of pain reliever for the ache in your ass? That pole’s awful big.”
“Leave him alone, Finn.” Dannol put the ship on autopilot and jumped from his chair. “He just needs a hug.”
Hack groaned and stood completely still as the little Havenite wrapped his narrow arms around him and squeezed Hack tight, humming softly and rocking him back and forth. “It’ll be alright, Captain. I just know it will.”
Dru laughed and Finn took a picture, probably sending it to the rest of the crew. Fuck, he needed a drink.
Chapter 3
Silverlight System, on route to Planet Frost Veil
Leti waited for the ship to take off. Then he waited two hours longer. Once he was sure they weren’t close to Vextonar anymore, he cracked the lid of the crate and looked around the hull. Gravy and Biscuit had both fallen asleep, snoring, curled up together. Monty was again perched on his head and Princess Buttercup was getting impatient. He did not like being confined.
“Listen Princess, you’re going to have to stay in there just a little longer. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
Opening the crate, Leti stood up and climbed out. His foot caught on the edge of the crate and he fell to the floor, landing on his face. His teeth bit into his lip, splitting it again and his forehead banged hard on the metal flooring. Monty tumbled off his head and slid across the floor. Dots peppered his vision, but Leti stumbled to his feet, ankle, lip, and head aching. He reached back and checked that his two dogs were still sleeping at the bottom of the crate, along with an awake and unhappy Princess Buttercup.
Picking up Monty, Leti lumbered over to one of the other crates and started prying the lid up. He froze when he heard the hull door slide open and a deep voice echo in the large room.
“What in all the Verse did Dottie want to ‘surprise’ me with? It had better be alcohol. I don’t want to waste space on my ship with any useless shit. And why are you all following me? It’s my surprise.”
“Come on, Captain. We want to see your surprise too.” Leti recognized Alois’ voice. “Maybe you’ll share some of it.”
“There are three crates. He’d better share whatever it is,” a woman said.
Leti let the crate lid fall shut and rushed to hide behind it. He peeked around the corner just as six people turned into his row of crates. The man at the front caught his attention and Leti couldn’t turn his eyes away if his life depended on it.
The man was huge, heavily muscled, with short black hair cut close to his head. He had dark, golden skin that seemed to glow. His ears were points, but different from Draif’s. They curved up, a good three inches above his head, in narrow, graceful points. Leti didn’t recognize his species at all.
He had wide shoulders and Leti shivered. He loved a nice, wide set of shoulders, and this man carried himself well. His bare arms were covered in elaborate, swirling tattoos that also wrapped around his neck and peeked through the short beard on his face. The man, followed by the others, paused at Leti’s open crate.
“Oh shit,” Leti whispered. He felt Monty slide off his shoulder and scurry to the floor. He wished he could scurry too.
The gorgeous, tattooed man stared into the crate, puzzled. “Dottie sent me dogs and luggage?”
One of the women began to look around the room while the others stared at the crate, puzzled. She was tall and slender with light blue skin. Two, gray horns twisted through her dark, braided hair. Her expressionless eyes landed on him immediately. Her head tilted to the side.
“Hack, the crate’s opened. Something else was in there,” another woman said. Mostly human, with slightly pointed ears like Draif’s showing her mixed heritage. She was beautiful with brown hair and caramel colored skin.
The blue woman turned to a massive, green male with a plain face and kind eyes. He gripped his furry tail in his hands. The fur was black, just like the hair on his head. The rest of him looked to be covered in fine, short green fur. “Beck,” she said. “How would the Captain recognize his mate?”
“For the love of all the galaxies, Selene, why bring that up?” The handsome man bellowed. “Apparently I now have two dogs and a missing present I already have to deal with. Can we not talk about mates right now? Do we even have dog food on board? Where will they shit?”
Alois and Cordelia slowly backed away from the others. “We didn’t know about this, Captain. I promise,” Cordelia said. “We’ll go locate something to feed the beasts.”
The two quickly turned away and ran toward the exit. Gravy, apparently awake, fully sat up and stared over the edge of the crate, tongue hanging from his mouth. He softly woofed at the gorgeous, tattooed man, saying hello. Then he jumped, climbing out of the crate and sat politely at the man’s feet.
The man looked like he was about to have a heart attack. He scowled, eyes squeezed shut, and shook with anger, stress, something powerful. Then he seemed to just release it all. His face grew calm and his body relaxed. His eyes opened again, full of softness and wonder.
“Beck,” Selene said in her monotone voice. “Mating?”
The large green man looked thoughtful. “Grell can tell by scent once they’ve gotten the call, but I don’t know about the Burnished. They don’t rely on scent so much. Maybe sight or just being around their mate?”
The caramel skinned woman looked at Selene in confusion. “What’s your deal? This isn’t really the time to worry about… Ahhhhhh! What the fuck is on my head?”
Leti groaned quietly. Monty was the fuck on her head. He must really like her. He usually avoided strangers. Captain Hackett looked up from scratching Gravy’s ears and regaling him with baby talk about his cuteness.
“That’s a lizard,” the Captain said. He turned back to Gravy. “Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?”
“Get it off! Get it off!” The woman hoped up and down, spinning in circles.
“It’s not a lizard. It’s just a little vexal newt, Dru,” Beck said. He let his tail fall from his hands and picked up Monty, cuddling him and cooing. “You probably need a little water, don’t you buddy?”
Selene reached into the open crate and pulled out Princess Buttercup’s carrier. “What’s this,” she asked.
“Stop! Don’t open that,” Leti yelled, jumping from behind the crate.
Four pairs of eyes instantly locked on him, but Selene quickly looked away, toward Captain Hackett. Dru had a phasor pointed at him in a heartbeat.
“Hands in the air!”
The crate beside Leti banged opened immediately, Draif pointing his own phasors at Dru, one in each hand. “Put your weapon down!”
Captain Hackett, it had to be him, was frozen, eyes on Leti and his hands holding Gravy’s ears. Leti couldn’t seem to look away from those black eyes. The man was simply gorgeous. He seemed to look straight into Leti’s deepest, most vulnerable places, warming him and making him shiver at the same time. Something was happening. Something special.
“Put your weapons down!”
“I asked you first!”
“I drew my weapon first!”
“You threatened Leti. You put yours down!
“Listen kid, put your weapons down and it’ll be okay,” Dru said kindly, “You’re a bed-slave right? That’s what that tattoo on your hand says anyways. We don’t deal with slavery here. No need to defend him.”
“He’s my best friend and I won’t let you hurt him!”
“You two are so loud,” Selene said, eyes darting between the Captain and Leti. “This is a moment and you’re ruining it.”
Dru darted a look at Selene. “Woman, what is wrong with you?”
Beck followed Selene’s eyes and smiled. “Hack’s found his mate! Ma’s going to be so happy!”
Dru kept her weapon pointed on Leti. “Everyone’s gone crazy. Captain?”
Captain Hackett kept his eyes on Leti, but absently reached out and grabbed Dru’s hand, pulling it down. “Don’t point a phasor at people. It’s not nice.”
“Nice?” Dru sputtered. “You’re concerned with nice? Were you not the one who left that Vextonian trading vessel stranded because its captain annoyed you? Who are you and what have you done with my friend?”
“Draif, he’s right. You shouldn’t point your phasors at them. We’re imposing already,” Leti said, still caught in an exquisite black gaze.
Captain Hackett shook his head. “You’re no imposition! Really, what can we do to help? Are you alright? Were you cramped up in this crate for long? Do you need food? Water?”
Draif lowered his phasors and looked at the Captain in disbelief.
“Stow-aways with weapons and you’re offering them food and water? Did I hit my head? Am I dreaming?” Dru sputtered. She reluctantly holstered her phasor.
Leti blushed and shook his head. “I’m fine, thank you. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been.” He looked at Draif. “Oh, Draif, I’m so sorry. Are you alright? Is my sister okay?”
Draif gave him a wide-eyed stare. “We’re fine, Leti. Just being stow-aways. On this ship. With a mercenary group. Nothing to worry about at all.”
Dru snickered. “Is he being weird too?”
Draif nodded. “He should be shaking and freaking out. He doesn’t deal well with change. Doesn’t like aggression, or strangers, or people looking like they want to fuck him.” He eyed the Captain.
“Thank the gods! I was afraid it was just my crew,” Dru said. “At least everyone’s crazy together.”
Captain Hackett’s eyes joyfully followed Leti’s every move and every blush, but they grew hard when they landed on his black eye, busted lip, and ankle cast.
“Who the fuck hurt you?”
Leti blinked, confused. “What?”
The Captain closed the distance between them in a flash, causing Leti to jump and Draif to lift his phasors again. He gently cupped Leti’s cheek in one big hand. “You’re hurt,” he said softly. “We’ll get you to medical and fix you up, but who hurt you? Are you in danger? Do you need help?”
“No, not now,” Leti said, blushing again. “We just really needed off planet and we had to sneak so we couldn’t use our passports. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. I have money and can pay for passage, Captain Hackett.”
“Call me Will, and of course you don’t need to pay. We’re happy to help.” His thumb rubbed over Leti’s full bottom lip.
Dru threw her hands in the air. “What the fuck! We’re mercenaries. Why would we not want money? Let’s just help out of the goodness of our hearts! Oh, and call me Will.” She stomped her foot. “I can’t even call you Will!”
Draif looked just as horrified even as he lowered his weapons again. “What is wrong with you, Leti? You’re blushing… again. I’ve never seen you blush so much. Oh gods, did you just flutter your eyelashes at him?”
Selene turned back to the small traveling crate. “Enough of the mating. Why can’t I open this?”
Leti pulled his attention away from the Captain. He stepped back from the tempting man. “Oh, Princess Buttercup’s a bit grouchy right now so you shouldn’t let him out until I spend some time calming him down.” He couldn’t resist and leaned into Will’s side, enjoying the warm arms as they wrapped around him.
“Princess Buttercup’s a him,” Beck asked. He set Monty on Dru’s shoulder and helped Draif climb out of his crate.
“Ggghh,” Dru shuddered as Monty climbed to her head.
Draif laughed nervously. He eyed each of the crewmembers uneasily. “Leti was five when he named him and thought he was a girl. Princess was already used to the name when he found out it should have been Prince.”
Selene peeked into Leti’s open crate and picked up Biscuit. “I will hold this animal then.” She looked back at Princess’s carrier. “Until later.”
Biscuit looked at her, head cocked, then reached out and licked her nose. She set the dog on the floor and wiped her nose off. Biscuit trotted over to Gravy and sat beside the big dog.
“That was disgusting.” She walked to Draif’s crate. “What’s in here?”
She reached in and picked up a fat and sleepy, orange tabby cat. Draif grabbed the placid cat from Selene and cuddled her large body close.
“That’s Marmalade. She’s nervous around strangers,” he said.
Dru raised an eyebrow. “Yeah she looks really nervous.”
Leti snickered and whispered to Hack, “Marmalade’s his cat. He just doesn’t claim her because he says slaves can’t own anything. She just cuddles and sleeps all day.”
“Slave,” Hack asked, voice lowered. “We don’t like slavery in my system. I can’t let you keep him as a slave.”
“I don’t like the institution either,” Leti said. He buried his nose into Hack’s shirt. “I’m going to tear up his contract as soon as we’re out of the system. That’s one of the reasons we had to leave.”
Hack hummed deep, pleased, and ran his hand up and down Leti’s back. He liked the feel of the man’s soft body against his own. His little, soft tummy was pressed into Hack’s side. He especially liked the full, luscious ass he could see over his shoulder.
Selene reached into the crate again and pulled out a long-haired calico cat. The cat glared at her and growled.
“How many fucking animals do you have,” Dru asked.
“That’s Fluffle,” Draif smiled at Selene. “You can hold him.”
“I suppose.” She agreed. “I don’t want to hold the baby.”
“Baby,” Beck exclaimed. “What baby?” He rushed to the crate. “Awww, look at the adorable little baby.”
Dru frowned. “Why the Hell do you have a baby stowed away in a crate? Captain? Do you see this?”
Leti jumped. “How could I have forgotten her? Oh ducks and chickens, I’m the worse brother ever.” He turned away from Hack and looked into Draif’s open crate. The baby slept away, unconcerned with the world. She was strapped into her carrier and still wearing the plain white onesie the auction house had dressed her in. Her dark, wine-red curls looked just like his own. He just hoped her tan skin didn’t freckle over time, like his. She was beautiful… and scary.
“Draif,” Leti said. “How do I pick her up? I don’t want to hurt her.”
Draif laughed and came to stand beside him, Marmalade purring in his arms. “I have no idea. She came in the carrier and has been sleeping the whole time. Dottie packed her a bag, though.”
Dru came to Leti’s other side. “Why do you have a baby if you don’t even know how to hold one?” She looked at the little girl curiously, Monty still perched happily on her head. “Is that a slave stamp on her hand?”
“It is.” Leti chewed on his bottom lip. “She’s my half-sister, but my father wanted her sold, so I anonymously bought her. I’m going to tear up her and Draif’s contracts as soon as we reach a different system. Do you want to hold her?”
“Hell no!” Dru looked horrified and quickly backed away. “I do not want to jinx myself. I can’t have kids right now. We have too much work to do. Right, Captain?”
Hack pressed in behind Leti, bracing his arms on the crate on either side of him. He looked into the crate at the infant. “I don’t think pregnancy works that way, Dru. Besides, we could use some time off. We’ve been going too much the last six months and I think a break would be a good thing.”
Dru, Selene, and Beck silently stared at their captain for a good two minutes. “What?” Hack shrugged. “A baby’s a big responsibility and will take a lot of my time.”
Dru started to smile. “Oh, don’t you worry a bit, my dearest Captain.” She turned around and headed for the door. “I just have some lists to make. She’s a he, and has two dogs, two cats, a crated mystery animal, a bed-slave, and a baby. I think that goes over his limit of allowed personal belongings, but I’m sure you’ll work something out.”
Draif grinned. “You haven’t opened the third crate yet.”
Chapter 4
“You had a llama, a pig, and two chickens in a crate?” Nettle shook his head as he sprayed a cast sealer over Leti’s broken ankle. He ended up resetting it after removing the bulky cast.
Hack shook his head, peeking in the door with Biscuit, Gravy, and Pork Chop piled behind him. Vextonar was such a backward planet. What planet didn’t use the best in medical advances and technology to heal their own?
Nettle moved on to Leti’s black eye, spreading micro-healer on the bruising, watching them fade away within seconds. “The Captain’s okay with all this though, because he’s such a nice guy. That’s what you said, right?”
Leti blushed and smiled. “Will really is so wonderful. He’s not at all like the tabloids say he is. He’s gentle, kind, patient, and so damn hot.”
Nettle laughed. “I really wish I had been there.” He set the tube down and picked up the antibacterial healer. “Be careful now, I’m going to seal the cut on your lip.”
Leti closed his eyes and stayed as still as possible as Nettle spread the solution on his busted lip. “I can’t believe Vextonar didn’t have the materials to do more for your injuries than they did.”
After the solution dried and the cut sealed up, Leti wiggled his lips and opened his eyes. “I didn’t go to a doctor for Primes. My father never let me when he…” Leti stopped and looked down. Hack felt his blood start to boil. Fucking Primes.
“Hey now,” Nettle said, gripping Leti’s chin and tilting his face up. “You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to, but know that you are far from alone. There aren’t many on this ship that haven’t been in your position at some point. Charybdis Station tends to draw those that learn the hard way what family truly is.” He smiled gently, eyes sympathetic.
“What is true family?”
“Those that love you, cherish you, accept you, and fight for you. They’re the ones that would die for you. The people on this ship, all of us, we’re going to be your family, Leti.”
Hack couldn’t take it anymore. He walked into the room and gathered Leti into his arms. “If you want, I will kill the son-of-a-bitch prime for you.” He would be so very happy to kill the bastard.
