Capture the Sun

Officially, recovery specialists were experts at tracking down items that had gone missing, whether through negligence or theft. But in reality, we were often the reason items went missing.

The latest theft of the figurine had stymied Besor’s longtime specialist, so he’d put out a call for an expert.

An expert like myself.

I’d never been able to resist a puzzle, so despite my vow never to return, I was minutes away from touching down on Valovia once again. I just hoped that my curiosity—and greed—wouldn’t bite me in the ass.

The ship picked up a subtle vibration as the atmosphere thickened. I checked the suite one last time. The porters had already picked up the trunk containing my clothes and other basics. It would be transferred directly to my hotel by the ship’s staff. The trunk’s locks were second to none, but I’d placed the few things I didn’t want a stranger snooping through into an oversize tote I would personally carry.

Everything else I might need, assuming I accepted the job or at least wanted to research it further, was in a crate I’d shipped before I’d left Fed space—and by shipped, I meant smuggled. Travel between the Federated Human Planets and the Valovian Empire was allowed, but only under a very strict set of rules and regulations. Crossing the border with a whole lot of illegal tech wasn’t something either side appreciated. But if everything had gone according to plan, the crate would be waiting for pickup in a warehouse at the edge of the city.

If not, well, it couldn’t be tracked to me. The loss would be a financial hit, but such losses were a part of doing business, which is one of the reasons experienced recovery specialists charged such an exorbitant amount for their services.

Zenzi, Valovia’s capital city, grew larger on the screen. I’d tried to move our meeting to one of the other cities on the planet, but Besor was based in the capital, and he’d been reluctant to relocate. That meant I was returning to the very city where I’d spent my previous two disastrous visits.

The same city where I’d met Nilo Shoren—Valoff, hand-to-hand specialist, teleporter, liar.

The first time we’d met, he’d flirted with me for a few days then left me waiting for him in a hotel bar like a dumbass while he’d stolen my job. The second time, Tavi had expressly forbidden me from stabbing him, which had saved him a limb or two. After that, we’d settled into a wary détente because rescuing a child had been more important than our petty squabble.

But a mix of anger, embarrassment, and disappointment still burned under my skin. I’d liked Nilo, right up until he’d humiliated me, which made the pain extra sharp, like sand in an open wound.

I was traveling under a false name, so even if he was on the lookout for me—which I very much doubted, my hubris wasn’t that high—he wouldn’t know I was back on Valovia. And Zenzi’s population was over two million, so the odds that we would accidentally meet were incredibly slim.

Still, I crossed my fingers to ward off bad luck.

Nilo had his own gravity, much like a black hole, and in this, at least, I was smart enough not to be drawn in a third time—no matter how much I was tempted by his charming grin and sly wit. It was a mask, same as mine. I needed to remember we were more alike than either of us would prefer.

I slid my feet into the nude pumps that added several centimeters to my height, putting me over a meter eighty. Height could be a weapon, and today I wielded it with precision. I expected to meet with Besor as soon as I arrived at the hotel, and with my heels, we’d stand eye to eye. The sleeveless, midnight-blue sheath dress accentuated my pale skin and chin-length, curly blond hair.

It also made me appear unarmed. I wasn’t—I had two knives and a small plas blade hidden under the ruched fabric—but appearances were important.

My makeup was subtle and flawless. I looked poised, expensive, and untouchable. I tailored my look to each client, and according to rumor, Besor appreciated beautiful things. And perhaps if he was dazzled by my facade, he wouldn’t pay enough attention to our negotiations, netting me a better deal.

The ship settled onto the landing pad with a barely discernible bump. A few minutes later, someone rang the suite’s doorbell, and I shored up my mental shields. Most Valoffs were telepathic, and while they generally didn’t go poking around in humans’ heads for fun, they could.

I refused to have anyone in my head but me.

I opened the door to reveal a young, uniformed Valovian woman. She bowed shallowly, and her pale skin and ash-blond hair contrasted nicely with the deep garnet uniform. Her eyes were light blue, threaded through with streaks of midnight—a common Valovian trait.

“Ms. Stafford, we have arrived at Zenzi,” she said, her tone deferential, as if I really were someone important. “If you are ready to disembark, I will show you to your transport.”

All of my travel documents and IDs were under the name Alexandra Stafford for this trip, because my real identity—Lexi Bowen—was potentially a little too interesting on Valovia. I didn’t know that the empress was on the lookout for me, but I didn’t know that she wasn’t, either. My last trip hadn’t exactly ended in an open invitation to return, so a new identity had been prudent.

I’d been answering to my assumed name for a week, so hearing it now didn’t bother me. I picked up my tote, did a final visual check to ensure I hadn’t left anything behind, then smiled at the woman. “Lead the way.”

She bowed again and then swept an arm to my left. “Please follow me.”

This passenger liner was large enough that the first-class cabins had their own level, and even the hallway was wide and well-appointed, with light cream paint, polished gold fixtures, and faux marble floors. It also had an elevator to a private external hatch, so VIPs wouldn’t have to rub elbows with the huddled masses in the cheaper cabins.

As we waited for the elevator, two more groups joined us, each being led by a uniformed steward. I subtly eyed them. The two middle-aged men—both Valoff—in expensive, complementary suits were obviously a couple, holding hands and making goo-goo eyes at each other while their steward suppressed a tiny smile and politely ignored them. They were adorable.

The human man and woman were not. They were older, dressed in designer clothes, and angry at everything. The third time the woman snapped at their steward, who was doing his very best to maintain his placid expression in spite of his clenched jaw, I stepped in.

“What brings you to Valovia?” I asked in Common, masking my annoyance at them behind polite small talk. I could speak Valovan well enough to get by, but most humans preferred Common.

The woman ignored me. The man next to her shot me a contemptuous look, then followed it up with a slow, leering glance down my body. After he realized I was attractive, a lascivious smile appeared, though he had to be at least twice my age. “I’m here for business,” he drawled, “but I’m hoping to make time for pleasure, too.”

The invitation was impossible to miss, but I pretended ignorance.

The man edged closer, his smile still firmly in place. His eyes, however, were cold and covetous. If he put so much as a single finger on me, he’d learn a harsh lesson in why touching someone without consent was a very bad idea. It was a message I’d be happy to deliver on behalf of people everywhere.

He must’ve read the danger in my expression because he backed off, but to make himself feel better, he muttered an insult under his breath.

I mentally counted to ten. I was thirty-one, a former soldier, and currently one of the best thieves in the galaxy—dealing with assholes was practically my job description and had been for a long time. And while breaking the man’s nose would be eminently satisfying, it wasn’t worth the hassle. I was trying to help the steward, not cause more trouble.

Luckily, the elevator arrived before my self-control faltered. As we boarded, the steward dipped his chin in gratitude, which was thanks enough.

We arrived at the transport hub without further difficulty. The passenger liner’s gravity matched Valovia’s, which was slightly lower than FHP standard, so the transition out of the ship felt seamless. I slipped my steward a tip, then sighed and added a second one. I tilted my head toward the human couple who were still loudly complaining. “Please ensure this goes to their steward. I have a feeling they are going to forget their manners.”

The young woman bowed deeply. “Thank you, Ms. Stafford. Is there anything else I may assist you with?”

“No, thank you.”

She opened the transport’s door. “Your destination is already programmed. Enjoy your stay.”

The sleek hotel transport was as nice as the suite I’d just left, with deeply padded seats, a fully stocked minibar, and a panoramic tinted glass window to let passengers enjoy the sights. Aerial transportation was banned in Zenzi, thanks to the Imperial Palace, so the vehicle rose a mere meter before gliding forward and merging with the ground traffic.

I poured myself a glass of excellent Valovian red wine out of a tiny bottle and then watched the scenery slide by. Zenzi was a massive city, and the spaceport was on the edge of it. The Valovian Empire spanned at least a dozen known planets—and probably more we didn’t know about. If Valovia was the empire’s heart, then Zenzi was its brain.

And Empress Nepru ruled with a gloved fist from her seat in the Imperial Palace.

After a decades-long war, the Valovian Empire and the Federated Human Planets—commonly shortened to FHP or Fed—had finally settled into a fragile peace for the past three years. But a month and a half ago, the last time I’d been on-planet, I’d learned just how fragile that peace truly was, because either the empress or the FHP was actively working against it.

Hell, maybe they both were. Tavi was attempting to track down what was happening, but I’d left her and the rest of the crew of Starlight’s Shadow behind to pursue my own goals. Guilt filled my chest, but I tried to shake it off. Tavi would be fine. She had the whole crew to look after her.

Of course, I considered half of that crew my family, so it wasn’t exactly reassuring that they were all in danger, but at least Eli, Tavi’s first officer, would be the voice of reason. And even if things got bad, they had a freaking telekinetic in the crew now, and Torran would protect Tavi with his life.

Tavi would be fine, but I wouldn’t be if she found out I was on Valovia without backup, which is why I’d neglected to mention this little trip to her. We communicated fairly often, so I’d have to come clean if I ended up taking the job, but I’d cross that bridge when I came to it.

I settled more firmly in my seat and sipped my wine. Outside, the orange sun was low in the sky and sinking fast. Solar days on Valovia were only ten hours long, but rather than working and sleeping in short increments, the Valoffs had combined two solar days into a single buratbos, a twenty-hour “day” with two sunrises and sunsets. And because the Imperial Palace was on Valovia, the twenty-hour day became the Valovian standard, much like the FHP standard was twenty-four hours thanks to humans starting on Earth.

The ship had timed it so that we’d arrived in the second half of the buratbos, which matched up with evening standard time. The transition wouldn’t be too harsh, but every time I visited, the Valovian schedule fucked with my sleep. I did fine on planets with extremely long days and nights, but the frequent transition between the two threw off my body’s internal clock.

However, never having to wait very long for darkness to descend did tend to make my job easier.

The steady flow of traffic grew heavier, and the interesting architecture of the outer edge of the city gave way to towers encased in glass as we reached the central district. In my experience, cities all tended to look very similar once they reached a certain population density. Zenzi might be a smidgen more beautiful than the FHP’s early utilitarian cities, but physics worked the same everywhere, and there were only so many ways to build a skyscraper capable of housing thousands of people.

My hotel was in one of the tallest buildings in the city, a towering monolith sheathed in glittering blue glass reminiscent of ocean waves. I’d picked it for the design alone—and because Besor was footing the bill.

I drained the last drops of wine from my glass, then put it in the sanitizing receptacle. A moment later, the transport glided to a stop at the hotel’s covered front entrance. A uniformed bellhop waited for my door to automatically open, then bowed in greeting. “Welcome to Oniatsa Tabr, Ms. Stafford,” he said in flawless Common, proving that someone had alerted him about my arrival. “May I take your bag?”

“No, thank you,” I said as I exited the transport. “I only have the one. I believe the rest of my luggage was sent ahead.”

“It was. It is waiting for you in your room. If you have a comm that works on Valovian networks, then you should already have your room information and electronic key. If not, I’d be happy to direct you to the concierge who will give you a keycard.”

“My comm is dual-tech, thank you.” I pulled up my room assignment. I was on the thirtieth floor, which should make for a nice view as long as I didn’t face the building next door.

The bellhop bowed slightly in acknowledgment. “Mr. Edfo requests that you join him in the Mountain Salon.”

I got directions to the room—after waving off repeated offers of a personal escort—and entered the hotel. Inside, a vibrant green indoor oasis, at least three stories tall, flanked the right side of the lobby, and an understated concierge desk hugged the left wall. The main walkway led straight through the room, but clustered seating areas lined each side.

I took in the space with a brief glance. There were a few businesspeople and tourists, including a family with two small children who were doing their best to entertain everyone around them, much to their parents’ exasperation. There were also at least three security agents doing their best to look inconspicuous while watching the entire lobby.

All three had noted my entrance.

They had positioned themselves around the room. The fair, blond woman was wearing slacks and a blouse covered by a jacket. She sat on the left side of the walkway, facing toward the path so she could see both the entrance and the exit. She appeared to be reading on her comm, but she spent more time scanning the surroundings than her device.

The dark-haired man with deep brown skin was wearing a charcoal suit and leaning casually against a column while idly scrolling through something on his slate. Every so often he frowned for effect, but his eyes were too sharp to pull off the ruse.

The final man had brown hair and tan skin. He was wearing a navy suit, and he sat at the far end of the walkway, near the hallway that led to the meeting rooms. He was sipping at a cup of coffee—or some other hot beverage in a mug—while lazily surveying the room.

Icy fingers of trepidation stole down my spine, but I kept my expression open and easy as I moved through the lobby. None of my research had indicated that Besor employed personal security while out in the city. They could be security for someone else, but the way they were arrayed gave them the best view of both the hotel’s entrance and the corridor that led to the Mountain Salon.

And all three were very carefully not looking at me.

My intuition was finely honed, and right now, it screamed danger. I didn’t question it, not even for the lucrative job offer waiting just a few meters away. I’d studied the hotel’s map as a basic precaution before deciding on the location, and I knew the meeting room hallway had several exits.

Bolting would draw too much attention. I moved through the lobby with brisk confidence and entered the wide hallway. The door to the Mountain Salon was closed, and no one was visible, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.

I continued past the closed door without breaking stride. If this was a false alarm, then Besor would be upset that I’d delayed our meeting, but I could smooth his ruffled feathers once I figured out why all of my internal alarms were rioting.

A glance over my shoulder proved that the Valoff in the navy suit had entered the hallway, his eyes on me. Shit, intuition won this round. If he was a telekinetic, then I was fucked.

With no better options available, I picked up my pace. Escape was far better than a fight, but I still had ten meters before I’d reach the door that led into a labyrinth of service hallways.

A tall, lean man wearing a long, hooded coat appeared in my path, and I jerked to a halt. He hadn’t stepped out of a doorway or from a hidden alcove, he’d literally appeared from thin air, something no human could accomplish. A teleporter wasn’t as deadly as a telekinetic, but they were much harder to evade.

I slid the hem of my dress up, drew the plas knife strapped to my thigh, and activated it. The ten-centimeter energy blade shimmered into existence, glowing red—the lethal setting. The short blade wasn’t a huge threat, but it was better than nothing.

Behind me, a deep voice shouted, “Stop!”

As if I was going to listen to that.

The man in front of me tilted his head, and I caught a glimpse of a familiar one-sided smile. My breath caught. It couldn’t be.

He closed the distance between us. The hood shadowed his face, but I would know those striking, gold-streaked green eyes anywhere—Nilo Shoren had found me even though I’d been on-planet for less than two hours.

A maelstrom of emotion arose—annoyance, anger, desire, happiness, and most dangerous of all, hope.

I kept the blade between us. His smile grew wider, and he murmured, “Going to stab me?”

“Depends. Are you going to betray me again?”

Something fleeting crossed his face, but he shook his head. “Believe it or not, I’m here to help.”

I didn’t believe it, but another shout behind me proved that I didn’t have much choice. Nilo stepped closer, and I deactivated the blade. When I stabbed him, it would be because I’d meant it, not by accident.

“Take a deep breath,” he ordered as his hands clamped around my bare upper arms.

I sucked in a breath to tell him exactly where he could shove his orders, but I didn’t get a chance before cold power washed over me and the world disappeared.

Chapter Two

The vertigo was instant and intense. It felt like spinning through zero gravity, where there was no up or down, just endless twists and turns in total, inky darkness. Tavi had tried to explain it, but she’d left out a few pertinent details.

Like how I could still feel Nilo’s taut body pressed up against mine, a tiny reassurance in this hellacious void. And how I could feel his power, sharp and cold, swirling around both of us, binding us together.

The glass of wine I’d drank was dangerously close to reappearing when the world popped back into existence. Nilo stumbled and we both nearly went down. He cursed and steadied me for a second, then let go. My stomach heaved, unhappy with the entire ordeal.

“What were you thinking, coming to Valovia—” Nilo started, his tone furious, but I tuned him out.

I closed my eyes, tilted my head back, and took several deep, calming breaths. It helped. I still felt nauseous, but I no longer felt like I would immediately vomit on Nilo’s shoes. When I opened my eyes, he held out a reusable bottle. I dropped the plas knife in my tote and accepted it.

Nilo still wore a scowl, but it was tempered by reluctant sympathy. “Sorry,” he grumbled. “Humans tend to have a stronger reaction than Valoffs. I should’ve warned you.”

I opened the bottle a took a cautious sip of cold water. When it stayed down, I took a longer drink and looked around. The fading sunlight revealed that we were in a narrow clearing surrounded by a forest of massive coniferous trees. A small house blended into the landscape, with dark brown wooden siding, a curved front wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, and a sloping green roof covered in plants.

There were no other houses nearby. Indeed, with the exception of what was likely a shed or garage, there were no other structures nearby. Just trees, trees, and more trees. Nervousness drifted through me like smoke. Despite our squabbles, I didn’t think Nilo would take me into the woods and murder me, but if he tried, no one would hear me scream.

Of course, if he was stupid enough to try, then no one would hear him scream, either.

Bolstered by that thought, I turned to him and gave him the same slow perusal I’d just given our surroundings. At some point while I’d been trying to keep my wine down, he’d pushed back his hood, giving me a clear view, and one thing remained true: Nilo Shoren was an unfairly handsome man.

Not only did he have a bone structure that would make models weep with envy, but he also had dark hair, tan skin, and stunning eyes. Nilo’s irises were startlingly green—as deep and vibrant as the forest around us—and streaked through with bolts of gold. Valoffs’ eyes always tended to be interesting, but Nilo’s were over the top.

I pulled myself away from the magnetic draw of his gaze and looked at the rest of him. He was looking more unkempt than usual. His hair was too long, and several days’ worth of dark stubble shadowed his jaw. There was a subtle weariness to his expression that even his usual charming facade couldn’t quite hide.

“Are you okay?” I asked with a frown.

That surprised a chuckle out of him. “It’s been a long week,” he admitted. His humor evaporated, and he leveled a glare at me. “And a lot of that is thanks to you. What were you thinking, returning here?”

I lifted an eyebrow at his tone. “I don’t have to defend my decisions to you.” Even if those decisions often started and ended with money. “Why did you grab me? Where are we?”

He sighed and swept an arm toward the house. “Welcome to my home.”

I glanced between him and the building. It wasn’t what I’d pictured for him, in the brief moments I’d allowed myself to think of it at all, but I supposed a teleporter could live anywhere. Envy nipped at me. How much easier would my job be if I could just flit around with a thought?

“I realize it might not be what you’re used to,” Nilo started, a note of defensiveness in his voice.

I shook myself from my thoughts and interrupted him before he could take offense. “It’s beautiful, just not what I expected.”

His expression lit in interest. “What did you expect?”

“I figured you’d be closer to the city, probably in one of the tall buildings in the central district.” I could almost picture it—a fancy condo with no hint of personality and furniture that was made for looks rather than comfort.

I’d had a very similar place until I’d realized it was a waste of money when I spent the vast majority of my time away on jobs.

Nilo’s mouth twisted into a sardonic smile. “I own a flat on the forty-second floor of the third tallest building,” he admitted. “But this is the better option for now.”

“Why?”

“Because Empress Nepru doesn’t know it exists.”

My blood froze in my veins. “Pardon me?”

“You skipped the meeting room—which was the first smart thing you’ve done this week, by the way—so you had to know something was off, right?”

I ignored the implicit insult as adrenaline poured into my system. My pulse kicked, but danger had always sharpened my focus rather than derailing it. “I saw what I thought were security personnel in the lobby, but they didn’t seem to be guarding anyone in particular. That’s what tipped me off that something was wrong. Were they actually working for Empress Nepru?” At Nilo’s nod, I continued, “How did you know I was here? How did she?”

“Besor sold you out. He didn’t have your real identity, but when he heard Empress Nepru was quietly looking for a recovery specialist, he gave you up. Your assumed identity was solid, but once a team started digging, they matched your boarding photo to your real identity. The empress ordered a quiet pickup at the hotel. And I only knew you were here because I’ve been keeping an eye on who she’s keeping an eye on.”

If Besor truly had betrayed me, then his days were numbered. The risk with hiring recovery specialists was that we were very, very good at getting into places where we weren’t wanted.

Like a lying, double-crossing asshole’s fancy compound in the expensive part of the city.

My eyes widened as the meaning of the second half of Nilo’s sentence broke through the anger. “You have a spy in the palace.”

His chin dipped.

“Why would you step in for me and risk burning your source?”

Nilo didn’t quite roll his eyes, but I could tell that the desire was there. “Because if you get caught by the empress, then your captain will ride to your rescue, and Torran will accompany her. And the last thing the general needs right now is to be within the empress’s reach.”

I killed any disappointment before it could form. Of course he was looking out for Torran. And I should appreciate it, because he was right. If I was stupid enough to get caught on Valovia, then Tavi would come for me, even at great personal risk.

“Thank you,” I murmured. “How far from the city are we?”

“Zenzi is an hour south by transport. There’s a lev cycle in the shed in case of emergency, but I would prefer to port you to town to keep the risk of discovery down.”

I wrinkled my nose at the thought of future teleports, but I understood his caution. “I don’t suppose you grabbed my luggage, did you?”

Nilo shook his head, and I sighed. I still had my tote, so I’d kept everything important, but I needed clothes. This dress was nice, but it wouldn’t be if I wore it for a week straight. Luckily, I had additional clothes in the crate I’d shipped. “I have a package that I need to pick up in Zenzi.”

“Can it wait until tomorrow? Two more ports today will put me on my ass.”

I enjoyed that mental picture for a second, but putting him out of commission for an outfit change probably wasn’t the smartest plan if the empress knew I was on Valovia. “Do you have some clothes I can borrow?”

His gaze flickered over me before he met my eyes again. His expression sharpened in interest and a charming grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. “If I say no, will you keep wearing that dress?”

Little pinpricks of heat raced along my nerves. The man was too damn handsome for anyone’s peace of mind, but he wasn’t the only one who knew how to weaponize attractiveness. I gave him a slow, wicked smile. “If you say no,” I murmured, pitching my voice low and inviting, “I’ll mutilate your favorite shirt.”

The gold in his irises expanded, and his grin bloomed into something hot and sinful. “If you want me shirtless, you only have to ask.” When I merely raised my eyebrows, he relented. “I have a few things that should work for you until we can retrieve your clothes.”

“Thank you.”

Nilo gestured toward the house, and I fell into step beside him. Walking in heels on soft ground covered by tall, thick grass wasn’t the easiest, so after a few steps I stopped. “If I take my shoes off, is there anything that’s going to hurt my feet between here and the house?”

“I could carry you,” Nilo offered with a teasing smile.

“Okay,” I agreed, just to shock him. It didn’t disappoint—his mouth popped open in surprise and his eyes widened. But he recovered quickly, and before I could clarify that I’d been joking, he swept me up in his arms, with one arm braced behind my back and one looped under my naked knees, which put his hand dangerously high on my thigh.

His head dipped toward mine and he murmured, “You didn’t think I’d pass up an opportunity to put my hands on you without getting stabbed, did you?”

I shivered at the heat in his eyes and the husky note in his voice, but I did my best to ignore the effect. “Who said I wouldn’t stab you, hmm?” I asked lightly. I waved an imperious hand toward the house. “Now let’s go before it gets totally dark and a bear comes of the woods and eats us.”

Nilo started for the house. “I don’t know about a bear, since I am not familiar with the word, but there are ditbusia, and they are the reason that the modern Valovan word for demon or ‘monster’ is ditbus…”

He trailed off, and I poked him in his very firm, very close chest. “You can’t just drop something like that and then not elaborate. What do they look like? Will they attack? What should I do if I see one?”

“Trust me, you’ll know one when you see it. They’re all teeth and claws and bad attitude. Yes, they’ll attack Valoffs, so presumably they’ll attack humans, too. They’re fearless. And if you see one, it’s already too late. They’re fast and they can climb, so your best bet is standing still and hoping it’s not hungry.”

I scanned the darkening forest surrounding us. The sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving us shrouded in twilight. Valoffs had better night vision than humans, so if there was a demon stalking us, Nilo would see it, right?

He caught me staring at the trees and gave me a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, I haven’t seen ditbusia around here in years. They tend to stay farther north.”

“That’s exactly what someone in a horror vid says right before the scary monster starts eating people.”

Nilo’s teeth flashed as he smiled, but his tone was serious when he said, “I’ll protect you.”

My heart quivered, ready to believe him, but his actions always spoke louder than his words, so until he threw himself between me and a clawed monster, I’d take his promises of protection with an appropriately large grain of salt.

Nilo opened the glass door without putting me down and carried me into the house. He set me on my feet and made sure I was stable before he moved away to turn on the lights.

I blinked as I looked around. The entryway opened into a small living room with a thickly cushioned sofa in front of a fireplace. On our right, a tiny wooden dining table with two chairs sat in the corner of the room, next to the wall of glass that made up the front of the cabin. Farther back, a compact kitchen had all the modern conveniences. It was open to the rest of the space, but still separate thanks to a long, narrow island.

Everything was soft and inviting and cozy, and it wasn’t what I’d been expecting at all.

I slipped off my shoes, set my tote on the floor, and padded deeper into the room—not that there was anywhere to go. The whole building couldn’t be more than ninety meters square, and this open living-dining-kitchen area took up most of that.

I glanced at Nilo. “How many bedrooms are in this house?”

“One.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. “When I built it, I didn’t plan to bring guests.”

I bit down on the questions I wanted to ask. Learning more about him was dangerous, because knowledge led to caring, and caring led to heartbreak. This was just another challenge I needed to overcome, and the universe loved to test my self-control. I shook my head and eyed the couch. It looked comfortable enough, and even if it wasn’t, at least I’d have a roof over my head and hopefully a blanket or two.

Nilo moved into the kitchen. “Are you hungry?”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “I have a few meal bars that I can eat.”

He pinned me in place with a look. “It’s a simple question. Are you hungry, yes or no?”

My stomach was still a little iffy after the teleportation, but lunch on the ship had been hours ago. When I didn’t answer fast enough, he prompted, “Yes or no?”

“Yes,” I admitted. “But you don’t have—”

He pointed at the chair. “Sit. Relax. I know you don’t want to be here, and I’m sorry that this is how it worked out.”

I shrugged, feigning an ease I didn’t quite feel. “I’d rather be here than a guest of the empress, so thanks for that.”

Nilo dipped his head in acknowledgment, then started pulling out pans and ingredients and whatever else you needed to make dinner. I wouldn’t know—I’d spent most of my adult life eating either rations provided by the military or takeout provided by whatever restaurant was closest to my hotel. My time aboard Starlight’s Shadow was the one exception because Tavi loved to cook, and she always made dinner for the crew.

While Nilo worked on dinner, I checked my messages. Besor had not contacted me despite the fact that I’d missed our meeting. That didn’t necessarily mean he had betrayed me to Empress Nepru, but it was certainly suspicious considering our frequent communication previously.

I might not trust Nilo as far as I could throw him, but I didn’t think he would lie about something like this. Still, I decided to send Besor a note to see if I could get him to give up any more information. I routed it through two proxy servers just like Kee had taught me, so that I wouldn’t accidentally lead anyone looking straight to Nilo’s hidden house.

That done, I put my comm on the table and stood. Nilo was chopping something that looked vaguely like a long, skinny potato into precision cubes. He held the knife with an easy confidence that made the whole process look effortless.

I leaned a hip against the edge of the island across from him. “Can I help?” I asked, then held up a hand. “Before you agree, you should know that I burn water, but I can chop ingredients.”

His smile was warm and soft. It arrowed through me as easily as the knife in his hand would. “I’m almost done with the prep. I don’t have any poultry or fish right now, so I thought I’d do an egg and vegetable hash. Does that work?”

I blinked at him. We had never once discussed my diet preferences, but he somehow knew that I preferred chicken and fish over red meat. On Starlight’s Shadow we’d all eaten entirely vegetarian thanks to Kee’s preferences, so he’d gleaned this information based on the handful of meals we’d had together that hadn’t been on the ship.

Nilo had a sharp, deadly mind lurking behind his charming facade, and I needed to remember that. Very little escaped his notice, so I would have to be extra careful about what I allowed him to see. I pulled out the easy, friendly smile I used when trying to win someone over. “An egg and veggie hash sounds great, but you can make whatever you prefer. Don’t let me mess up your plans.”

An unreadable expression crossed Nilo’s face, but he just nodded and kept chopping.

I watched him work and waited for the silence to become uncomfortable, but the rhythmic chopping was strangely soothing. I stared at his hands and let my mind drift. The return ticket Besor had provided would be useless now. I’d brought enough hard credits to pay a smuggler to return me to Fed space even if I lost access to my accounts, but finding one who was trustworthy would take time. The team I’d used to ship my crate did not accept passengers.

The delay might not be all bad, though. If I could lie low for a week or two, Besor’s guard would drop, and I could pay him a little visit on my way off-planet. But two weeks with Nilo in a one-bedroom cabin was a recipe for disaster.

Hot, sweaty, pleasurable disaster, to be sure, but disaster nonetheless.

Nilo turned to dump the vegetables into a pan on the stove, and I admired the line of his back. He’d ditched his coat, and his gray shirt fit close to his body. He was leanly muscular with broad shoulders that narrowed to a trim waist and a nice ass. He was built like an endurance athlete with no unnecessary bulk, but as he’d proven outside, he was still plenty strong.

And my libido had all sorts of ideas about what, exactly, he could do with that strength and endurance. I shook my head at myself and reluctantly dropped my eyes to the countertop. Resisting temptation had never once been my strong suit. If I stayed here, I was doomed.

Pettiness warred with self-preservation. If I wanted revenge on Besor—and I did—then I needed a new place to stay as soon as possible. The crate I’d shipped had an alternate set of identity documents, so I should be able to book myself into a cheap hotel without arousing too much suspicion.

And I could certainly survive one night in the same cabin as Nilo, right?

Chapter Three

With the decision made and a rough plan in mind, I glanced up to find Nilo watching me over his shoulder. “Everything okay?” he asked. “Or has my countertop caused you some grave offense?”

I couldn’t tell him I was contemplating my weakness for dark hair and green eyes, so I let my lips twist into a rueful smile. “Just thinking about how I’m going to get home now that Besor’s fancy first-class return ticket is worthless.”

“I can help with that,” he said. “I know a smuggler who can get you across the border undetected. She makes runs to Bastion every few weeks.”

“Is she trustworthy?”

Nilo nodded, but his mouth flattened into an unhappy line. “I wouldn’t send you to someone who wasn’t,” he said. “But, unfortunately, she’s on a run right now and won’t return for at least two weeks.”

“That’s okay. After we retrieve the crate I shipped, I can book myself into a hotel for a couple of weeks. The extra time will also allow Besor’s guard to drop, which means I can give him a really heartfelt going-away present.”

Nilo turned all the way around and frowned at me. “You’re not planning to stay here?”

“Your couch is nice, but I need a real bed.”

“Stay in my room.” He must’ve caught the surprise in my expression because his mouth curved into a melting smile. “I meant on your own, but if you’d like company, you only have to ask.”

I pressed my fingers into the cool countertop and reminded myself why that would be a bad, bad idea. “A hotel is safer.”

Thunderclouds gathered on his brow as his scowl grew. “A hotel is not safer. Empress Nepru knows you’re on-planet. She’ll have her Fiazefferia hunting for you. If you return to the city, you will need to maintain your mental shields at all times, even when you sleep. And your shields are not that good.”

My nose wrinkled. He was right. My mental shields had barely been good enough to get me through the war, and that was about it. They weren’t impermeable even when I was awake, which is why I had to watch myself around Valoffs, because they could occasionally pick up stray thoughts without trying. Shielding while I was asleep was a nonstarter.

The empress’s Sun Guardians played many roles in the Imperial Palace, but at their core, they were skilled trackers and assassins—and they were ruthless.

Still, I hadn’t been a highly successful recovery specialist for years without learning a thing or two about hiding from hunters. Zenzi was a huge city. As long as I was careful, they wouldn’t have time to find me before I’d already moved on.

“You know you are safe here, right?” Nilo asked quietly, his expression oddly intense. “I will not touch you without your express permission.” He put his left arm across his chest and bowed slightly. “I swear it.”

Personal honor was a cornerstone of Valovian society, but even if it wasn’t, I didn’t doubt Nilo’s sincerity. He might flirt and tease, but he’d never crossed the line. And even when I’d invited him to turn flirting into more during those first, disastrous days, he’d demurred. I hadn’t understood it at the time, but now I knew it was because he’d been planning to betray me all along. He could’ve taken advantage of my ignorance, but he hadn’t.

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” I told him truthfully. “But if the Sun Guardians are hunting me, then it’s better if I don’t lead them straight to your hideout. I can move around in the city if they get close. I have new identity documents in the crate I shipped, and they’re not linked to either my real identity or the one I used to travel here.”

Nilo turned to the stove, but I could see the tension in his frame. He stirred the pan for a few minutes, then cracked some eggs over the top of the veggie mixture. My hope that he’d forgotten our argument died when he pivoted back to me, eyes ablaze with gold. “I will stay in the shed if you are uncomfortable sharing the house with me. The city is not safe.”

“I know what I’m doing—”

“It’s not your skill I doubt,” he snapped, then blew out a frustrated breath and ran a hand through his hair. “Fiazefferu are relentless. They will not rest until you are found, and the empress has eyes in many places.”

“All the more reason for me to leave. You need to stay hidden so you can keep working for Torran, and I threaten that. Speaking of, have you heard anything from Torran or Tavi lately? You haven’t mentioned that I’m here, have you?”

Nilo’s jaw clenched, and I braced myself for additional arguments, but he returned his attention to the stove and said, “Last I heard, Kee was planning to stay on Bastion for a couple of weeks to dig for info, but that was over a week ago. I haven’t had a chance to tell them that you’re here, yet.”

“I’d rather you didn’t mention it,” I murmured. “It’ll only worry Tavi.”

He glanced at me over his shoulder, expression hard. “Do you often keep things from the people who love you?”

I let the stinging wave of anger and pain pass through me without ever losing my easy smile. This was the Nilo I was used to, the one who saw too much and didn’t pull his punches. But he wasn’t the only one with claws. My eyebrows rose as my smile sharpened. “Do you often judge acquaintances you barely know, or am I just lucky?”

“Lexi—”

I waved him off. “Don’t bother. Tomorrow I would appreciate a lift to the city, and afterwards I will no longer be your concern. Until then, tell me everything you know about Besor Edfo.”

A muscle in Nilo’s jaw flexed, and he said, “I will not tell your captain that you’re here if you promise that you’ll check in twice a day.”

“You are not my minder,” I scoffed, my tone cutting. “I will not report to you like an errant child, nor will I be blackmailed into it.”

“The empress wants you dead,” he growled, eyes flashing. “It’ll be easier to rescue you before that happens if I know exactly when you disappeared.”

Part of me understood that what he was suggesting was a reasonable safety precaution, but that part was buried under stung pride and blazing anger. How dare he assume I would need to be rescued, as if I didn’t know how to do my job.

I held myself still until the anger had burned down into icy calm, then I turned and picked up my tote. I arranged my face into a serene mask before glancing at Nilo. The pan was no longer on the stove, and he was watching me with an inscrutable expression.

“Thank you for the use of your room tonight. I would like to leave at first light.” Thankfully, the short nights on Valovia would finally come in handy. In five hours or so, I’d be done with Nilo Shoren once again.

And this time, I’d make sure it stuck.

I was halfway across the room before he spoke. “You’re not eating?”

Whatever he’d made smelled amazing, and my stomach protested the thought of eating a meal bar instead, but it would be better for both of us if we minimized our remaining time together. I turned just enough to see him. “My appetite has deserted me. I apologize for asking you to cook.”

“You didn’t ask, I offered, and you should try to eat a few bites while I change the sheets. I’m not sure how teleportation affects humans, but Valoffs usually feel better if they eat afterwards.”

Nilo didn’t wait for me to agree, he just pulled out a plate and scooped food onto it. He filled a glass with water and put both on the table. “Please,” he murmured, pulling out a chair for me.

My stomach growled, but Nilo didn’t comment, he merely waited for my decision. He held himself still, as if I were a spooked animal he was trying to lure closer.

And it was working, dammit.

My temper burned hot, but it cooled just as fast. And now that I was calmer, I could see that while Nilo could’ve chosen his words with more care, he was trying to look out for me. Just like he’d done by making dinner.

I slipped into the chair, and Nilo let out a breath. “Thank you,” he said, as if I was the one doing him a favor by eating.

“Thank you for cooking,” I told my plate, not quite ready to meet his keen gaze. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

“I don’t doubt your skill,” he said, his voice soft, “and I’m sorry that I made it sound like I did. This week has been difficult.”

I glanced up at him and made a decision I hoped I wouldn’t regret. “Grab a plate and tell me why. Maybe I can help.”

He looked at me for a long moment, as if judging my sincerity, then dipped his head and went to get food. He came back with a plate piled with over twice as much as he’d given me. When he saw me eyeing his portion, he smiled. “There’s plenty more if you want it, but I didn’t want to pressure you when you said your appetite was gone.”

Nilo dug in, and I followed his lead. The potato-looking vegetable was a little spicier than a potato, but it had a similar texture when cooked. There were other unfamiliar vegetables, but they all worked well together with the eggs and the seasoning made the whole dish incredibly delicious.

Nilo must’ve been watching my reaction because he frowned. “Is it too spicy?”

“No, it’s perfect. Nice job.”

A tiny, satisfied smiled touched his mouth before he returned to his own meal.

A comfortable silence fell as we ate, and it wasn’t until I’d returned to the table with more food that I broached the subject at hand. “So why has this week been so rough?”

Nilo sighed. “Something big is going down, but my informant doesn’t know what it is. They are well positioned, but the empress’s security has been tighter than usual.”

“Is she planning to attack the FHP?”

“Not directly, I don’t think. There’s been no troop movement reported. But something is happening because everyone is on high alert. Then my contact informed me that the empress was very interested in a certain recovery specialist who was arriving in two days, so I had to scramble for information and a plan. Until last night, I was afraid I’d miss you or fuck up the grab.”

“Was Besor actually in the hotel?”

Nilo nodded. “He was in the salon with about fifteen members of the palace security team. They’re not as dangerous as Fiazefferu, but they’re no pushovers, either.”

I contemplated whether or not I could’ve gotten past fifteen trained Valoffs to stab Besor right in his traitorous face. Probably not, but I would’ve given it my best effort. “Tell me about Besor.”

“He’s rich, arrogant, and power hungry. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else, and for the most part, he’s right. He has money in nearly every illegal trade on Valovia.”

That aligned with what I’d uncovered during my research. Our interactions had been limited to text—and Besor had been at his most charming in an attempt to secure my services—so I hadn’t been able to glean too much, but there were plenty of vids of him floating around, and even in the carefully edited ones, he’d come across as a bit of a pompous asshole.

But rich assholes and their petty rivalries allowed me to live in the style I preferred, so I hadn’t thought too much of it. I certainly hadn’t expected him to turn me over to the empress, but I also hadn’t expected her to be actively hunting me.

I’d known that coming to Valovia was a risk, I just hadn’t quite realized how much of a risk it was.

That was a mistake.

“Do you know what the empress offered him as a reward?” I asked. Besor had been desperate to get his hands on his stolen figurine, so that would’ve done it for sure.

Nilo shook his head. “But currying favor with the empress is worth a lot, especially when it causes the law to overlook your less than legal businesses. Don’t take it personally.” When my eyebrows rose in disbelief, he chuckled. “Okay, take it personally, but know that he wouldn’t be the only one to take the deal.”

“Would you?”

“No,” Nilo said with a grin, “but I’m not trying to get on Empress Nepru’s good side, either.”

I tipped my head to the side. “Your loyalty is so easily swayed?”

His expression lost the teasing edge, and I caught a glimpse of the serious man under the charming facade. “No,” he murmured, his gaze intense. “It’s not.”

A shiver danced down my spine. The words sounded like a vow, but I wasn’t sure to whom. I tapped the table and changed the subject. “So you don’t know what Empress Nepru is planning?”

“No.” Frustration sharpened his tone. “But I’m sure I’m not going to like it.”

“Any chance it’s just some internal political shuffling and not, say, an imminent attempt to start another interstellar war?”

“Could be,” Nilo allowed, but he didn’t sound convinced.

And unfortunately, neither was I.

After dinner, Nilo insisted on changing the sheets so I could stay in his room. I told him no less than four times that I was fine sleeping on the couch for the night, but he cheerfully ignored me. Watching him making a bed shouldn’t be sexy, but somehow, it was.

He folded and tucked the corners with military precision and although the technique was different, I recognized the ritual. He caught me staring from the doorway and grinned, a slow, hot tilt of his lips that I felt all the way to my toes.

His gaze flitted down my body, a light caress I could almost feel. “Feet tucked or untucked?” he asked.

“Untucked, of course. Unless you’re a monster.”

He laughed, which had been my goal, but the deep, rich sound of pure amusement arrowed straight into my chest. I was in so much trouble.

And I wasn’t entirely sure I cared.

Nilo finished the bed and pointed to a door on the wall beside where I was standing. “If you get cold, there are more blankets in the closet. Help yourself.”

The bed already had two blankets on it, so I waved him off. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“The bathroom is across the hall,” he said, pointing over my shoulder, “and I’ll be in the living room if you need anything.” He picked up a bundle of clothes and set them on the foot of the bed. “Hopefully something in here will work until we retrieve your shipment.”

“Thanks.” I glanced past him. The wall of windows from the rest of the house extended into the bedroom, and thanks to the antireflective coating, I could see the tall, dark silhouettes of trees against the starry background.

I moved closer to the glass. The unfamiliar constellations were bright jewels against the velvet sky. Nilo joined me. “Beautiful, isn’t it? This view is the reason I built here, and I never tire of it.”

“No matter how often I travel, I’m always enchanted by the night sky,” I admitted, my voice soft. “It reminds me how small I am, and how vast the universe is. Some people find that terrifying, but it keeps me grounded. I can’t change everything, only myself.”

Nilo shifted, and his voice, when it came, was touched with sorrow. “You would’ve liked my sister,” he murmured. “She gave me nearly the same advice fifteen years ago when I was frustrated by how little I could actually do. And when I accused her of fatalism, she looked me dead in the eye and told me that it only takes one person to start change. ‘Maybe not a big change,’ she’d said, ‘but even tiny changes add up.’”

I smiled wistfully. “I wish I’d met her when I was younger. Of course, I probably wouldn’t have listened. I was an ornery little shit before Tavi took me in hand.” I glanced at Nilo and gently asked, “What happened to her?”

“She died in combat.”

I winced in sympathy. “I’m sorry.”

He blew out a slow breath. “Me, too,” he said then slanted a look my way. “What about you, any family?”

“Just Tavi, Kee, and Eli.” I swallowed the lump in my throat that always arose with the memories of my childhood. “My adoptive parents died when I was nine, which is why I was a little wild when Tavi got me. I’d lucked out with my moms, but the rest of the foster system left a lot to be desired. It was a shock for a kid who’d been raised in a loving home for eight years.”

“You didn’t have any relatives who could take you in?”

“Nope. Luckily, my parents had a little bit of money, and they’d updated their will to put it into a trust for me, so my foster families couldn’t get to it. Of course, neither could I until I turned eighteen, but I made it work.” By running away at thirteen and begging, borrowing, and stealing for five years straight.

By the time I’d had to enroll in the mandatory FHP service, I could speak three languages and steal with sleight of hand so subtle that I could take things in broad daylight without anyone noticing. It had taken Tavi nearly a year and an infinite well of patience to break me of the habit of stealing from my fellow soldiers. Sometimes, in the dark of night, I still wondered why she and Eli—and later, Kee—had put up with so much of my shit.

I shoved the memories back into the dark, and asked, “Do you have other siblings?”

Nilo nodded. “A younger brother. He’s a corporate lawyer over in Dalo, near our parents. We get together a few times a year.”

Dalo was the second-largest city on Valovia, and on the opposite side of the planet. It was a little colder and harsher than Zenzi thanks to the surrounding mountains. It was one of the cities I’d suggested to Besor as an alternative meeting place.

Wrapped in this cocoon of scenery and sharing, it would be so, so easy to forget how dangerous Nilo really was—both in general, and to me, specifically. He was my every temptation wrapped in a gorgeous package, and already part of me was whispering, Why not?

My fingers twitched. With the slightest encouragement, he would likely help me bury painful memories under an onslaught of pleasure. I wavered, then stepped away from temptation.

“Good night, Nilo,” I murmured.

He looked at me for a long moment before he bowed his head. “Good night, Lexi. Sleep well.”

“You, too.”

As I sliced through the nearest enemy, I heard Kee shout in pain. I spun, looking for her, but there were too many, and I couldn’t see. She cried out again as an explosion lit up the night, then invisible hands clamped around my wrists. I thrashed against the hold, but there was no escape. I was going to die—

“Wake up!” Nilo urged, his voice soft but adamant. “You’re safe. I have you.”

Reality snapped back into place. I wrenched my eyes open and was met with gold-streaked green. My right hand was tight around the familiar hilt of my knife, but Nilo had pinned both of my wrists to the mattress.

The bedroom lights were on, and Nilo was half sprawled across me, as if he’d been leaning over and lost his balance. I summoned a smile that I hoped looked better than it felt. “If you wanted to sleep in your bed, you should’ve said so. I told you I’d sleep on the couch.”

Nilo’s expression didn’t change. “You okay?”

When I nodded, he carefully let go of my wrists and lifted himself off me. I absolutely did not miss his warmth and weight. He hissed as he sat up and my attention snapped back to him. “You’re hurt.”

“My fault,” he said. “I tried to wake you from the doorway, but I couldn’t. I shouldn’t have gotten so close.”

I lifted my hand and brought the short knife into view. I’d gone to sleep with it stashed under my pillow, but I must’ve grabbed it subconsciously once the nightmare hit. A line of blood smeared the blade’s edge, which meant I’d likely ruined his sheets in addition to cutting him. I sat up and carefully set the knife aside. “Let me see the damage.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said, edging away from me.

“How bad is it?”

His mouth quirked into a smile. “I’ll survive, but only because I’m fast. Remind me not to underestimate you when you’re sleeping.”

After much prompting, Nilo directed me to the first aid kit in the bathroom, then peeled his shirt off, revealing a long, shallow cut on his lower right abdomen. I could see where the blade had bit in before he’d jumped away. If he’d been any slower, I might’ve gutted him.

Guilt clawed at me with sharp talons. I didn’t often have nightmares—I couldn’t remember the last one, in fact—but when I did, I didn’t do them halfway. And the worry for Kee persisted, even as I opened the first aid kit.

Nilo sat on the edge of the bed as I cleaned the area around the wound. I carefully smoothed medical gel over the slice before closing it with butterfly bandages. Nilo remained still and quiet as I worked, but as soon as the last bandage was on, he caught my hand with gentle fingers. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head, then admitted, “I was trying to save Kee and couldn’t.”

“Was it a memory?”

“No, just a nightmare.” I met his eyes. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“As I said, it’s not your fault.” A teasing smile touched his mouth. “Next time, I’ll know that you sleep armed.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t have a plas pistol under my pillow.”

His smile widened. “Maybe you wanted me to be able to get close.”

I wasn’t touching that with a five-meter pole, so I just shook my head. Nilo stood, bringing him close enough that I could feel the heat from his naked chest through the borrowed shirt I was using as pajamas. And now that the adrenaline and worry had faded, I realized I wasn’t wearing a bra and the shirt barely covered my underwear.

Danger.

But Nilo’s gaze stayed on my face, and his brow furrowed. “Are you going to be okay now?”

I nodded. It wasn’t even a lie because I didn’t plan to go back to sleep tonight. The sun would rise in a couple of hours, then we could be on our way to Zenzi—and away from temptation.

“Come on, we can watch a vid in the living room. Kee’s gotten me hooked on one of her favorite dramas, so I’m sure I have something you’ll like.”

“Don’t let me keep you from sleep. You need the rest.”

One eyebrow rose over green and gold eyes. “And you don’t?”

“Since I’m not teleporting us to the city in a few hours, no.”

“If you think I’m going to leave you to sit in the dark and wait for sunrise alone, then you’re about to be proven wrong.”

My mouth popped open. “How did you—”

Nilo’s mouth twisted into a rueful, self-deprecating grin. “You think you’re the only one with nightmares?”