Read Online Taken (Calliston Series - Book 1) by Erica Conroy - Free Book Online

ask. He was more concerned with getting Roger back and how Martha and S'rea were. "We should get back to the bridge."
    "Yes," Tarn said, and escorted him there.
    * * *
    Viktor and Tarn were redirected to an overcrowded medbay. They were informed that Martha was refusing to be operated on until either Roger was presented to her in person or Viktor's dead body was laid before her. Instead, Viktor presented his live body to her and filled her in on what had happened. The moment he was finished, she dismissed him so she could discuss the situation with those on the bridge.
    Viktor's hand injury was not considered a priority compared with others already in medbay. So he waited with Tarn for S'rea to be released from the operating room. Tarn was in the process of donating blood for his daughter when Viktor collapsed into the chair next to him.
    "She okay?" he asked.
    Tarn nodded. "They tell me she would not be alive if you had not tied her leg. Thank you."
    Viktor shrugged it off. "She would have done the same."
    Tarn just stared at him.
    "Wouldn't she?"
    "They also tell me she saved the Martha female," Tarn said.
    "Good," said Viktor. "Roger will be grateful. When he gets back."
    Tarn smiled. It was the smile of a proud father.
    * * *
    "She looks so peaceful," Viktor murmured.
    "They all do when they sleep," said Tarn. "Daughters."
    S'rea could feel the gentle touch of a hand against her cheek as she slowly regained consciousness. It was so very warm and comforting.
    "I'll leave you two alone," Viktor said, and bade goodbye to Tarn.
    When S'rea opened her eyes, her father wasn't at her bedside. She frowned and cast her eyes about the small room for him. He was seated in the far corner, smiling at her.
    "You have the U-man to thank for your life," he said.
    S'rea growled. She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.
    * * *
    For once Viktor didn't have to politely reject the charms of Bill, the medical chief who patched him up. Bill was too busy with a full medbay. The Orka boarding parties had killed six men and injured twenty-two.
    "Have you seen Roger?" Viktor asked while Bill fused the skin back together on his hand.
    "He's fine. A few bruises. He's in with Martha at the moment," Bill said, then checked his handiwork and dismissed Viktor so he could set a corporal's broken arm.
    Viktor clenched his hand into a fist a couple of times. The skin held tight, but was still a bit tender. He headed for the private medical suites to check on Roger and Martha, but instead he found himself entering S'rea's room. Viktor stopped when he realized she was alone.
    S'rea looked up and studied him for a moment. "Come in," she finally said, and put aside the tablet she had been reading.
    "What are you reading?" Viktor asked after seating himself beside her bed.
    "U-man psychology. I am trying to understand why U-mans behave the way they do."
    Viktor smiled. "Any luck?"  
    She shook her head. "No."
    "Maybe I can help," he said. "Anything in particular you want to know?"
    S'rea pursed her lips. "The colonel is visiting his second-in-command of this vessel, Martha. She yelled at him for several minutes. He did not respond at all. Since then, there has been no verbal communication. Just an irregular series of strange noises."
    "Strange noises?"
    "Yes. I can still hear them."
    Viktor cocked his head to listen. He couldn't hear anything. "You have excellent hearing."
    "You have inferior auditory perception," she replied.
    "Of course," he said. "Well, I can guess what happened. Martha was worried about Roger and let him know about it, loudly. Roger is probably begging forgiveness."
    S'rea frowned. "How does one beg forgiveness without speaking?"
    "A lot of ways," said Viktor. "Kissing comes to mind."
    "Kissing?"
    "Ah." Viktor ran a hand through his shaggy hair while he tried to find the best way to describe the activity. "Pre-mating ritual that requires a lot of mouth-pressed-against-mouth action. Tongues are involved as well." S'rea looked appalled,