I wet a washcloth in the sink and stepped into the circular shower stall. A ship this small didn’t have a water recycling system. I had to settle for a sonic shower, but it was better than nothing. I hit the button for the longest possible shower.
The shower screen advised me to lift my hair and close my eyes. I did both and also held my breath. Scientists swore up and down that the cleaning fluid was nontoxic, but I’d still rather not breathe it.
Warm mist ghosted over my skin from the nozzles encircling the shower. A chime indicated I could open my eyes. My skin tingled as the sonic waves agitated the cleaning fluid. I helped it along with the washcloth.
An additional round of cleaning started for my hair. A sonic shower would never compare to a real water shower, but at least I’d lose the grimy feeling on my skin. My hair was another matter. Even with the extra cycles, it wouldn’t get completely clean until I could wash it properly. Sonic showers just weren’t designed for women with long hair, though they tried.
Two rinse cycles and a warm blast from the overhead dryer and I was done. I took a deep breath to prepare for anything, then opened the opaque shower door. The bathroom was empty and my clothes were exactly where I’d left them. Tension drained out of me. Showering was a risk I’d purposefully taken, but I hadn’t realized just how wound up I’d been.
I pulled on the boxer briefs that were my only option for clean underwear. They were surprisingly comfortable. Sadly, there’d been no extra bras, so my dirty one went back on, followed by the black shirt and dark camo pants. I was glad to see that my shirt didn’t cling as much as Loch’s had. Even so, I looked like his mini-me.
A quick rifle through the bathroom cabinets produced a grooming kit with a wide-tooth comb. The shower had applied a detangler to my hair, but it didn’t help much. I worked out the worst of the tangles then left it loose to finish drying.
I transferred the two knives and two extra energy cells to the pockets of my new pants, even though I didn’t have a gun. Being prepared had saved me on more than one occasion. I bundled up my old clothes and shoved them in the rucksack, along with the comb—Loch wouldn’t need it.
That done, I squared my shoulders and shored up my defenses before stepping out of the bathroom. Loch was sitting in the captain’s chair, staring out into space. He half turned at the sound of the door but didn’t speak.
I set my bag on the end of the starboard bench and then read the directions on how to lower the upper cot. It was as far in the corner as I could get on this ship, and it would give me a view of the entire room.
“The Santa Celestia has enough extra energy storage on board to jump again in less than twelve hours, possibly as few as six,” I said. They could only do it once or twice before the energy was depleted, but those extra jumps mattered.
All three Houses were racing to get the energy requirements down and the energy storage capabilities up in our new ships, especially personal House ships. Smaller House von Hasenberg ships could jump once, jump again in six hours, and jump again in twelve hours. After that, they required two days per jump and nearly a week without jumps to fully recharge the system.
“We’ll be on-planet before they make their first jump,” Loch said.
“Yes, but I’d rather be off-planet again before they make their first jump,” I said. “So I’m going to try to get some sleep. Once we land, there won’t be time.”
“So eager to be rid of me?” Loch asked. He stood and stalked toward me.
Yes. “No, but the faster I’m off-planet, the easier it’ll be for me to hide,” I said. I ignored his approach and snapped the cot into place.
He stopped close enough that I brushed up against him when I reached up to raise the safety rail. I refused to back away. I met his gaze with a flat stare of my own.
“Do you know,” he said conversationally, “that you’re the first person in a very long time willing to stand toe-to-toe with me without flinching or backing down? Even the mercs had more sense. It makes me want to see how far I can push you before you’ll break.”
That drew a dry chuckle from me. “The mercs weren’t von Hasenbergs and they hadn’t spent their whole life dealing with the sharks of the Consortium. I’ll break, and thanks to my childhood, I know exactly when.” I kept those memories tightly locked down and held his gaze. “But it won’t be today.”
He pushed closer until our chests touched. My nose hit him in the chin and I had to tilt my head back to meet his dark eyes. I gripped the cot’s safety rail to keep from retreating. I’d gotten myself into this little pissing contest, now I had to get myself out. Preferably in one piece.
Loch’s nose ghosted along my chin and down my neck. I stood stock-still as his breath heated my collarbone.
“You’re afraid, but you don’t let the fear rule you,” Loch rumbled against my skin. My belly did a little flip that had nothing to do with fear. “You manipulate those around you to suit your will, but you risked being left behind to save a bunch of mercs and soldiers intent on capturing you. You’re a puzzle, Ada von Hasenberg.”
“If you’re done with the intimidation routine,” I said calmly while I trembled internally, “I’d like to get some sleep.”
Loch threw his head back and laughed. I could feel the deep vibrations where our chests still touched. It wasn’t exactly the reaction I had expected, but it did get his teeth away from my neck, so I’d call it a win.
Eventually he stopped laughing, but he took one look at my face and broke out into a chuckle again. “Don’t look so put out. I wasn’t laughing at you.”
“Right, of course not. My mistake.” I glanced away, strangely hurt.
Loch eased my face back to him with a gentle hand. His thumb traced a blazing path of fire over my jawbone. “I’ve never met a woman quite like you,” he said.
“That’s because you haven’t met my sisters,” I said lightly. “I have three of them and they’re all just like me.”
“Oh, I doubt that. I’ve met a fair number of Consortium ladies. None were like you. You’re far more interesting than any of them.”
I didn’t want to be interesting. It would be better if Marcus Loch thought of me as a quick payday that he needed to protect until we reached the agreed-upon spaceport and nothing else. And when had he been exposed to Consortium ladies?
I was still contemplating the answer to that question when Loch wrapped his hands around my waist and lifted me up to the cot, nearly two meters off the floor. And he did it with complete ease.
Heat curled low and threatened to send me up in flames. I slid away from temptation and to the middle of the cot. “Thank you,” I said.
“You’re welcome,” he said with a knowing smile. “Sweet dreams, Ada.”
“Good night, Marcus.”
I pulled the lightweight blanket from its storage compartment and spread it out. I laid down with my head toward the back of the ship, facing out from the wall. I could see nearly the whole room from here, including Loch sitting in the captain’s chair.
Under the cover of the blanket, I slipped a sheathed knife out of my pocket and clutched it close to my chest, like a child cuddling a teddy bear. I didn’t think Loch would attack me in my sleep, but I was not above being prepared.
I slowed my breathing and let my eyes wander. I drifted off watching Loch gaze into space.
I awoke with a racing heart and a death grip on the knife. I knew my dreams were dark, but they dissipated like mist in my conscious mind. The hand clamped around my forearm, however, didn’t dissipate.
I jerked back and the hand slipped away.
“This is the second time you’ve pulled a blade on me,” Loch rumbled. “I’m starting to take it personally.”
My eyes popped open. A quick glance confirmed I still held the knife. It also confirmed it was sheathed. “I hardly think a sheathed knife is dangerous,” I said. “Besides, you should know better than to grab a sleeping person.”
“You were having a nightmare,” he said.