Athena’s Ashes (Star Thief Chronicles #2)(32)
Author: Jamie Grey

Myka threw his arms around Renna and squeezed. “I’m glad you’re back.” Before she could respond, he disappeared through the kitchen door.

What the hell was she going to do now? She couldn’t lock Finn in his cabin and have her way with him while he and Jayla were busy planning their next steps. She was too keyed up to sleep. And staring at the walls in her cabin would send her right over the edge.

The only thing left was blowing off some steam in the ship’s weight room. She quickly changed into workout clothes and pulled her arms behind her back, enjoying the pop of her joints as she stretched. She swung them back and forth. Interesting. Not a twinge from injuring her shoulder back at Samil’s warehouse. Aldani must be a magician.

She’d have to ask him about it later. Right now, the only thing she wanted was to imagine Thana Samil’s face on the punching bag in the corner.

She switched on the machine and took a few jabs at the floating, stuffed orb. Her fist connected with the synthetic white ball over and over, her muscles burning with the exertion. The punching bag dodged as she struck, but her hits struck dead center. It was as though her fists had a homing device inside the orb as she pummeled it with powerful strikes.

Renna stopped to stare at the hovering machine, a frown furrowing her eyebrows. “What the hell is going on?”

She plucked it from the air and turned it over to check the controls. The float mechanism was supposed to be randomized so you had to work for the sweet spot, but she was hitting the damn thing like it was standing still.

A quick check confirmed it was set up properly, and she set it back in the air, letting it rise to face height. “Okay, little guy. Let’s try this again.”

She threw a right hook, but her fist still connected with the bag dead center. Left hook, right hook, uppercut. Each one landed with precision.

Renna blew her escaping hair from her eyes. Did the bag have a faulty mechanism? “Screw this. I’m done,” she said. Before she could grab the thing to switch it off, it gave a low beep and fell to the floor as the grav thrusters cut off. She blinked at the now-deactivated device before stooping to pick it up. She switched it back on and it hovered in front of her, waiting for her next command.

She raised her arm and faked a punch. The thing seemed to throw itself in the way of her punch, instead of away from her. Like it knew exactly where her fist was going to land.

Off, she thought.

The beep sounded again, and it fell to the floor with a thump.

She rubbed a shaking hand over her face and glowered at the ball on the floor. Since when could she connect to gym equipment with her implant?

A heads-up display instantly appeared across her vision with calculations, charts, and dates. Renna froze, staring at the details as her hands went clammy.

A green date flashed in the center of the display. According to her implant, this new talent had started three days ago. Around the time Samil had started giving her the new drugs. Somehow they’d increased her neural connections. That had to be how she’d controlled the Athena, too.

A tingling started in her chest, and she pressed a palm to her ribcage as if she could stop her heart from beating its way out. Yet another piece of evidence that she was changing. That her implant was transforming her into something else. She needed to find a way to stop it before she lost everything that was important to her. Before she lost herself.

A man’s voice jerked her out of her downward spiral. “Usually people come here to use the equipment, not stare at it.”

Renna spun around to find Lieutenant Blake leaning against the hatch, a smirk playing across his lips. He wore MYTH-issued workout clothes—a gray top and close-fitting pants made of some shiny material that grazed his tight muscles. His blond hair was still carefully messy, and sandy stubble shadowed his chiseled jaw.

“Maybe it was staring at me.” She forced her racing heart under control and smiled at him. No need for him to see how freaked out she was.

“I could see why.” His gaze took in her figure-hugging shirt and leggings.

Renna took the bait, slipping into flirting as an easy distraction. She preened a bit, pushing out her chest and turning her hips. “I specialize in gorgeous.”

He pushed himself off the doorway and stalked toward her. “And how about combat? Are you as good at fighting as you are at bragging?”

“Better,” she said with a slow smile. “Wanna try me out?”

Despite his good looks, Alistair Blake was no Finn, but fighting was an even better distraction than flirting. And being physical always made her feel better, even if it wasn’t the type of physical action she craved.

“Oh, most definitely.” Blake circled her, seemingly relaxed and at ease, but his gaze followed her every move. “I can go easy on you. I’d hate to hit an injured woman.”

“Don’t worry, love. I like it hard and fast.” The innuendo slipped from her lips, part of the trash-talking of the sparring ring. She shivered. The only one she wanted hard and fast was Finn. She craved him like a drug and that scared the hell out of her.

Blake chuckled as they slowly spun around each other. “Don’t forget you asked for it then.” He lunged, his fist missing her jaw by centimeters.

Renna jumped out of the way. “Handsome and deadly. Why aren’t there girls lined up at the door for you?”

“I’m too much for most girls to handle.” Blake smiled, a dimple flashing in his cheek.

Renna struck back, darting around his defenses. Her fist landed squarely in his abdomen and the lieutenant grunted. But he followed up before she could recover, landing a quick jab on her jaw.

Her head snapped back and stars danced in her vision. “Not playing around, are we, Lieutenant?”

“Call me Alistair. You’re not MYTH yet.” He took a step back, swinging his shoulders a bit to keep them loose. “And you should know I never play at fighting or beautiful women.”

A grin snuck to her lips. “Good to know.” The guy was a charmer, that’s for sure. Quite a difference from the steamy, intense lust Finn’s very presence caused. Another surge of hunger shot through her.

Focus, Renna.

She danced around Blake for a few more heartbeats, gaze locked with his. They were close enough that his hot breath whispered against her neck, and she shivered.

He took that moment to throw an uppercut, bringing him even closer to her. Renna blocked it and grabbed his arm, twisting it behind him until his hard back muscles were pressed against her chest.