Born of Night (The League #1)(58)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Nykyrian frowned. “How could you get us through the scanners?”

Caillen tilted his chair back on two legs and put his hands behind his head, that cocky grin Nykyrian despised breaking across his face. “You’re going to regret every nasty thing you’ve ever said about my ship. The Malia is equipped with special jammers no system in existence can pick up on. They’ll have to do a personal inspection to verify my cargo.” He laughed. “Remember, guys, I am a third-generation smuggler.”

Hauk snorted. “Yeah, well, once we’re in, they’re not going to just let us sail right back out. The Malia is too fragile and slow to outrun a fighter.”

Caillen rubbed his jaw as he thought about Hauk’s words. “Her cargo hold will carry two fighters, plus passengers.”

Nykyrian nodded in agreement. This was the first plan they’d come up with that stood even the breath of a chance. “That’s it, then.”

Darling cocked his eyebrow at Nykyrian. “Aren’t you forgetting something? How do we get out once we’re in there?”

Nykyrian studied Darling’s face. A million thoughts passed through his mind. But it all came down to one fact.

“Simple. It’s me they want. You and Caillen will stay on board the Malia and monitor Aksel’s men and the base’s corridors. Hauk will grab Kiara, get her inside his fighter and take her to safety. Jayne will be waiting to cover them once they’re out of Oksana’s orbit.”

Hauk cocked one curious brow. “And what about you?”

“I’m bait. I’ll fly out in an opposite direction with my fighter. The bulk of Aksel’s troops will follow me.” Nykyrian narrowed his eyes at Hauk. “You will not engage any fighter at any time. You will keep your engines full-throttle. Let Jayne take care of whatever follows you.”

He looked back at Caillen. “You and Darling need to rig additional power to the Malia to make sure she can tel-ass as fast as you can pilot her. She’s too big to dogfight.”

He tossed the printouts to Darling. “Aksel will probably be holding Kiara in his office. I’ll need a dummy bomb. Can you do it within the hour?”

“Is my hair red?”

Nykyrian stood. “Then we prepare.”

Jayne, Caillen, and Darling left. Hauk stayed behind with a face that reminded him of Syn’s doom-and-gloom attitude. Disregarding him, Nykyrian pulled his Nemesis gear from the closet.

“You’re not planning on coming back, are you?”

Nykyrian paused. With a deep sigh, he pulled his boots out of the closet and set them on the floor. “I’m good, but no one’s good enough to survive the number of fighters that’ll be after me.”

Hauk tapped his fingers against the tabletop in a pulsing rhythm that set his teeth on edge. “Why not send Kiara back in the Malia and let me fly out with you to fight?”

Nykyrian unbuttoned his shirt. “The Malia might get caught. I trust Darling and Caillen to make their way safely home. I need you to see to it that Kiara makes it back to her father intact.”

“I’d rather keep you alive.”

“Kiara is my life,” Nykyrian whispered. He sat down in his chair and placed his head in his hands.

This was the only way that made sense. If he were dead, Kiara would be free, he would be free. Strangely, he felt no remorse, somehow it felt right.

He looked at the ring on his smallest finger, the ring he’d bought right before he went to see Kiara the first time after her father had shot him when she’d been dancing on Gouran. The ring he’d intended to give her as a wedding band, but hadn’t been able to do it. The rows of red and black diamonds, surrounded by a gold band, glinted in the dim light.

He pulled the ring off and handed it to Hauk. “I want you to give this to Kiara.”

Hauk studied it, then looked at him with a severe frown. “This is a wedding ring.”

“I know. We were married according to Andarion custom a few months ago.”

Hauk cursed foully.

Nykyrian ignored him. “I’m depending on you to make sure she’s recognized as my widow. I know I’m asking the impossible, but she carries my child and I want her to have what’s rightfully theirs.”

He hesitated with the last bit, but it had to be said. “If I don’t get the chance, tell her I love her, that I’ve always loved her and that I couldn’t have been more thrilled about the baby. I just wish I could be with her when it’s born.”

Hauk gnashed his fangs. “I can’t do this.”

Nykyrian cleared his throat of the lump. “We’ve had too many missions together for you to go soft on me now.”

Hauk looked away. “You always planned to come back from those missions.”

He scoffed. “Not really. This is the first time in my life I actually want to return alive. Pretty damned ironic, isn’t it?”

Hauk fastened the ring inside his pocket. “What do you want me to tell Syn?”

Nykyrian smirked, jerking his boots off. “Ask him where the hell he was when I needed him most.”

Hauk’s eyes widened incredulously.

Sighing, he shook his head. “I’m only kidding. If you said that, he’d start drinking again. Since he was the driving force behind The Sentella, I leave it for him to run. He’s better at that shit than I am, anyway.” He stood and reached for his clothes. “Also tell him that I leave my lorinas to him.”

Hauk laughed. “He might dig up your body just to shoot you for that.”

Nykyrian paused at the thought. He just hoped Aksel left enough of him to bury.

CHAPTER 31

Caillen sat at the controls of the Malia, waiting for clearance to enter Aksel’s base. He smiled at the six crates of damson alcohol Nykyrian had graciously donated to add realism to the scam.

Man, Syn would shit himself to see that wasted . . .

The orange light on his control panel flashed, warning him the probe scanners were on. Pushing in his sequence, he smiled as the jammers hummed on.

“Take that, you swixtas.” He laughed.

“Malia cleared,” the controller’s voice echoed. “Dock in bay eight.”

Caillen complied. He loved his job. There was nothing like extreme danger to get the blood pumping and the brain juices flowing.

Several soldiers stood by, waiting to board his ship. Caillen shook his head, and double-checked the settings on his control panel.

He walked past where Nykyrian and the rest were hidden, wasting time. The longer the guards had to wait, the more anxious they’d become. It was a childish ploy, but it always served to unnerve sentries.

With a silent salute to his father’s picture that hung by the door—his good luck charm—Caillen slowly lowered the ramp. He opened the hatch and stared down the barrel of a laser rifle.

“Problem?” he asked calmly.

The helmeted soldier cocked his head. “We’re expecting Quiakides.”

Caillen burst into mocking laughter. “Is that you, Marek?”

The soldier shifted nervously before pulling his helmet off. “Yeah.”

He shoved the barrel away from his face and sauntered back inside his ship. The other soldiers filed on board and set about searching his cargo. “Buy a clue. What would I be doing with Quiakides? Hasn’t anyone bothered to tell you we don’t get along?”

“You run missions for him.”

Caillen gave him a droll stare. “Duh. I’d run missions for the devil as long as he pays me on time.”

“That’s why we’re searching you.”

He rolled his eyes. “Like Quiakides can’t afford a better mode of transportation than this dilapidated junk heap. Forget a clue, buy a brain.”

Marek glanced around the ship. “Where’s Kasen?”

Caillen shrugged. “Off with Shahara.”

There was no missing his disappointed expression.

The other soldiers returned, shaking their heads. “He’s clean.”

Marek nodded. “You looking for Netan?”

“Yeah, where is he?”

“He’s with Aksel.” Marek replaced his helmet. “I’ll tell him you’re here.”

Caillen took a deep breath, grateful the ruse had worked. “Do it. I don’t have a lot of patience. If he doesn’t get here quick, I’m leaving.”

Marek motioned his group of soldiers off the ship.

“Hey,” Caillen mischievously called down the ramp after him. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to lock my systems down while I wait. I just can’t trust you mercenary sons of bitches. You guys are a rotten group.”

He saw Marek stiffen, but he didn’t say a word in reply.

Caillen smiled in self-satisfaction. He locked the hatch, then ran to free the group from their hiding panels in the walls.

Darling moved to the front to monitor communications.

“You’ll have to rush,” Caillen said to Nykyrian, who checked his blaster’s charge level. “If Netan stays on board too long, they’ll get suspicious.”

Nykyrian nodded, his stomach knotting. He had to succeed. There was no alternative.

They took positions on opposite sides of the hatch, ready to pounce.

Their wait was short. Netan must have really been in the mood to get flagged, as it was, he ended up unnaturally unconscious.

Caillen opened the hatch just enough for Nykyrian and Hauk to squeeze through.

With practiced ease, they made their way out of the bay and down the hallway. Darling instructed their path via a headset and map inside the Malia.

Nykyrian knew he could rely on his friends to get Kiara to safety. They wouldn’t let him down.

“Two more corridors, then Aksel’s office is on your left,” Darling instructed.

Hauk moved.

“Wait.” Darling warned.

Nykyrian’s heart skipped a beat.

“One being coming down the hall up ahead. There’s a door behind Nyk—use it.”

Nykyrian led the way into the dark room.

“I hate this shit,” Hauk hissed.

He ignored him.

After a few seconds, Darling’s voice returned. “Clear all the way. Move.”

He opened the door and went out first. They made their way to Aksel’s office as quickly as possible.

He tried the door’s security code, but it wouldn’t budge. “Damn.”

“What?” Hauk asked, scanning the hallway.

“Aksel must have changed codes.”

Stifling his temper, Nykyrian quickly rewired the lock and raised the door.

He saw Kiara first. Her jubilant face looked up at him with adoring eyes that cut through to his soul. He ran across the room and jerked the chains out of their hook in the ceiling. Relief coursed through him as he picked the locks and freed her wrists from the metal cuffs.

His eyes hardened as he noticed the tear in her dress. “Did he hurt you?”

“No.” She held him close. “He was waiting for you.”

Nykyrian kissed her, his arms tight around her waist while he thanked God she was safe. She trembled in his arms like a frightened child and he vowed once more to see Aksel pay for this with his life.

Hauk came up behind him. “Come on, we don’t have time.”

Nykyrian moved away from her. Hauk was right.

“Where’s Aksel?” Nykyrian asked her.

“I don’t know. He left a few minutes ago.”

Hauk cleared his throat and pulled at Nykyrian’s shoulder. “You need to see this.”

Nykyrian turned around, then went numb. For the first time, he noticed Driana lying on the floor. He crossed the room to stand over her body.

“She’s dead,” Hauk confirmed, stooping to feel for her pulse.

He looked back at Kiara in confusion over the grisly sight. “What happened?”

She covered her trembling lips with her hand. “She tried to kill Aksel, and he beat her to death.”

Wanting to comfort her, he moved back to her and held her close for a few heartbeats, knowing this would be the last time they ever touched. “You’re safe now, shona. But we have to hurry.”

Handing Kiara over to Hauk’s arms, he adjusted his link. “Darling, report.”

“You’re clear the whole way back.”

He nodded to Hauk. “Get her home.”

Hauk hesitated. He gave Nykyrian a look that told him how reluctant Hauk was to leave him to his own defenses. “Walk with peace,” Hauk said quietly before dragging Kiara out of the room behind him.

Nykyrian thought over the old League phrase. He finally understood how an assassin could walk in peace.

With a sigh, he welcomed the peaceful slumber of death.

He gave them a good headstart before he left the room. Hauk would take care of Kiara.

This was the only solution.

“Walk with peace,” he repeated and opened the door. He ran down the hallway back towards the bay.

“Nyk, to the right!” Darling’s voice shouted.

Nykyrian whirled, his hand drawing his blaster. Too late. The shot ripped through his shoulder with a painful sear. Returning the fire, he watched the soldier crumple.