not to be one of them.
She tugged her gaze from his and stared at the open door to her quarters, anything to get her mind off him. “You need to get out of here before my uncle comes back.”
“I will if you come with me.”
Ava turned back to him. “My uncle will kick my ass if I leave the ship.”
“What is it the Terrans say? Damned if you do—damned if you don’t?” He cocked his head and gave her a wicked grin. The muscles in her thighs clenched and her heart began to race. Two years older, Brodie had been the leader of a pack of feral children. Now a man, he’d joined the resistance and had quickly climbed the ranks. Taller by a foot and twice as strong, he could easily force Ava to come along, but instead, he asked with excitement beaming from his eyes. “You know you want to.”
Ava snorted and fought the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Brodie Mark, you’re likely to get me into trouble.”
He sat back on his heels and laughed. “I am trouble.” Brodie was as tough as a seasoned soldier and twice as lethal. He’d been forced to fend for himself and had killed to survive since the age of five. Brodie had very few things he valued, and those few things governed his honor code. That code meant he’d never harm a Rebel, or those that served the cause. Most of all he’d never harm her. Going with him should be safe.
She’d first met him on the street as he’d followed a target when he was twelve. She’d tagged along, wanting to get a closer look at his blaster rifle. Brodie told her to go away, but Ava had been persistent, dogging his heels until he’d spun around and knocked her flat. “Not this time. It’s too dangerous for little girls. Someday when you’re older.”
“I’m not a little girl. I’m ten.”
His gaze swept over her as he stared down. “You look like a baby.”
“I’m a Frost, not a baby.”
Brodie’s eyes had popped wide. He gave her a curt nod. “Be safe, Duchess. Go home. You can come another time. I promise, I’ll come and get you when you’re ready.”
It had been the first time he’d called her that, his pet name.
It had taken her years to realize it wasn’t a nickname, but a title, one she’d hold if her mother hadn’t murdered her husband and run off with her father.
“Well, are you coming?” Ava pulled out of her memories and stared Brodie in the eyes. She bit her lip, debating whether it would be worth the trouble she’d get into. Seeming to sense her indecision, he gave her his best pouty face. Ava’s heart skipped, and she fought the giggle. Puppy dog eyes looked ridiculous on the dangerous Rebel. She should tell him.
“Well, Duchess?” Charm, charisma, and heat rolled off him.
He knew she couldn’t say no .
***
Seth grabbed her wrist and yanked her back to him. She twisted, breaking his grasp. Something warm and slick made it easy. He glanced down to see blood drip onto her hand and splatter on his boots. “You need a doctor.”
“I’ve suffered worse.”
“You shouldn’t suffer at all.”
“You’re not from my world, Seth. You can’t possibly know. We can stand around and talk about this, or we can move along—which I advise we do. Staying in one place for too long is a very bad idea. The children might have backed away, but they aren’t the only ones hunting in this neighborhood. You’ve heard of the Mish?”
“Cannibals—here in New Xiera? I thought they were a myth.”
“Not a myth, and we’re in their territory. They don’t care about anything but what they can make at an off-world market from your meat, and if you aren’t the right flavor, they’ll sell you as a slave. New Xierans are highly prized for their sexual abilities, but they’ll take anyone who gives them the opportunity, even if they’re not tasty.” She lifted the medallion. “This won’t stop them.”
Seth frowned. The more he knew Ava, the more of a mystery she became. The children could have killed her, but
She tugged her gaze from his and stared at the open door to her quarters, anything to get her mind off him. “You need to get out of here before my uncle comes back.”
“I will if you come with me.”
Ava turned back to him. “My uncle will kick my ass if I leave the ship.”
“What is it the Terrans say? Damned if you do—damned if you don’t?” He cocked his head and gave her a wicked grin. The muscles in her thighs clenched and her heart began to race. Two years older, Brodie had been the leader of a pack of feral children. Now a man, he’d joined the resistance and had quickly climbed the ranks. Taller by a foot and twice as strong, he could easily force Ava to come along, but instead, he asked with excitement beaming from his eyes. “You know you want to.”
Ava snorted and fought the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Brodie Mark, you’re likely to get me into trouble.”
He sat back on his heels and laughed. “I am trouble.” Brodie was as tough as a seasoned soldier and twice as lethal. He’d been forced to fend for himself and had killed to survive since the age of five. Brodie had very few things he valued, and those few things governed his honor code. That code meant he’d never harm a Rebel, or those that served the cause. Most of all he’d never harm her. Going with him should be safe.
She’d first met him on the street as he’d followed a target when he was twelve. She’d tagged along, wanting to get a closer look at his blaster rifle. Brodie told her to go away, but Ava had been persistent, dogging his heels until he’d spun around and knocked her flat. “Not this time. It’s too dangerous for little girls. Someday when you’re older.”
“I’m not a little girl. I’m ten.”
His gaze swept over her as he stared down. “You look like a baby.”
“I’m a Frost, not a baby.”
Brodie’s eyes had popped wide. He gave her a curt nod. “Be safe, Duchess. Go home. You can come another time. I promise, I’ll come and get you when you’re ready.”
It had been the first time he’d called her that, his pet name.
It had taken her years to realize it wasn’t a nickname, but a title, one she’d hold if her mother hadn’t murdered her husband and run off with her father.
“Well, are you coming?” Ava pulled out of her memories and stared Brodie in the eyes. She bit her lip, debating whether it would be worth the trouble she’d get into. Seeming to sense her indecision, he gave her his best pouty face. Ava’s heart skipped, and she fought the giggle. Puppy dog eyes looked ridiculous on the dangerous Rebel. She should tell him.
“Well, Duchess?” Charm, charisma, and heat rolled off him.
He knew she couldn’t say no .
***
Seth grabbed her wrist and yanked her back to him. She twisted, breaking his grasp. Something warm and slick made it easy. He glanced down to see blood drip onto her hand and splatter on his boots. “You need a doctor.”
“I’ve suffered worse.”
“You shouldn’t suffer at all.”
“You’re not from my world, Seth. You can’t possibly know. We can stand around and talk about this, or we can move along—which I advise we do. Staying in one place for too long is a very bad idea. The children might have backed away, but they aren’t the only ones hunting in this neighborhood. You’ve heard of the Mish?”
“Cannibals—here in New Xiera? I thought they were a myth.”
“Not a myth, and we’re in their territory. They don’t care about anything but what they can make at an off-world market from your meat, and if you aren’t the right flavor, they’ll sell you as a slave. New Xierans are highly prized for their sexual abilities, but they’ll take anyone who gives them the opportunity, even if they’re not tasty.” She lifted the medallion. “This won’t stop them.”
Seth frowned. The more he knew Ava, the more of a mystery she became. The children could have killed her, but
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