In complete shock, Ravnos released the silver-haired prince’s throat and let him fall back into the cradle of his arms. He closed his eyes against the searing ache in his heart and in his throat. Wetness burned down his cheeks.
Blood and hell…
Seht wanted to be with him badly enough to stay? He opened his eyes to look blearily up at the distant struts of the bay, unable to tell if he was thrilled or horrified. He looked over toward the door and smacked his forehead. “Fuck! What do I
do
with him?”
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Chapter Twentytwo
Tired, sweating, and bleeding from a hundred shallow cuts all over him, Ravnos marched through the passageways, clasping the legs of the unconscious and bleeding Skeldhi prince he’d flung over his shoulder.
His lieutenant met him at the door to the captain’s suite and blinked. “I know I asked you to get us a first officer, Captain, but”—he pulled open the captain’s door and gave him a weak smile—“you really didn’t need to go so far as to kidnap one, sir.”
Ravnos stopped in the doorway and blinked.
First officer…?
He eyed the unconscious prince, and a slow smile lifted his lips.
Perfect
. He turned back to his lieutenant and his smile broadened. “I believe the old naval term is ‘pressed,’ as in,
‘press-ganged.’”
His lieutenant’s eyes widened. “Uh, why so it is, sir.”
Ravnos lifted his chin. “I’ll need a full set of uniforms, for both of us.”
The lieutenant followed at his captain’s heels. “Captain, you mean he really
is
going to be our first officer?”
Ravnos lifted one brow. “Do you have any objections as to how I acquire my officers, Lieutenant?”
The lieutenant hastily shook his head and lifted both hands. “Oh no, sir! Not at all, sir! But, um…” He eyed the both of them, then looked pointedly at the carpet under Ravnos’s boots. “Shall I get someone from medical down here first?”
Ravnos stared down at the blood dripping onto his carpet. “Hmm… Perhaps you should.” He strode past his neatly made four-poster bed, heading for the bathing facility, and called over his shoulder. “Oh, and ask security to bring up a full set of force cuffs, ankles and wrists.”
The lieutenant tripped on nothing in particular. “Force cuffs, sir?”
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Ravnos opened the door to his private facility. “Your new first officer has a nasty temper.” He set the unconscious prince out on the tile floor and pulled out one of his slender boot-knives.
“Yes, sir! Right away, sir!” The lieutenant turned on his heel to face away from the facility door. He tapped his ear-jack. “Medical, please. Thank you. Medical? I need a first aid medical team in the captain’s quarters, on the double. Yes, first aid only. Good.
Thank you.”
Ravnos yanked off Seht’s boots and began cutting Seht’s bloodstained clothes from his body.
“Acquisitions, please? Yes, I need a full set of uniforms for a first officer. Size?
Um…”
Ravnos focused on the ship’s sentience.
It only took a split second for the ship to assure her captain that she had indeed made a full scan of the Skeldhi prince, including clothing size.
“The ship has his measurements on file.” Ravnos threw the torn and bloody fabric against the wall with a wet
splat
. “Look under ‘Deshryt, Seht.’”
Prince Seht…
The lieutenant nodded. “The ship has the required measurements filed under Deshryt, Seht. Yes? Good. Thank you. Security, please.”
Ravnos rose to soak a towel in the small sink, then went back to Seht to wipe off some of the blood.
“Security? The captain requires a full set of force cuffs, if you please. Yes. Ankles and wrists. Immediately.” The lieutenant tapped his toe. “No, this is
not
a fucking joke!”
Ravnos turned toward the facility door. “Security! Get me a goddamned set of force cuffs, right the fuck now! That’s an order!”
The lieutenant snorted. “Any more questions? No? Good. Thank you.”
The door chime sounded.
The lieutenant hurried to the door and admitted the medical team.
* * * * *
It had taken two of his lieutenant’s yeomen to dress the unconscious prince. The force cuffs around Seht’s ankles and wrists were tuned into the prince’s augmentations, Interstellar Service & Discipline: Lost Star
141
so despite the fact that Seht had been unconscious, the verbal command to stand had been more than enough to keep him upright.
The yeomen had done an impressive job.
Seht’s long silver mane had been combed back from his brow and tied at the base of his neck with a blue bow that would match the prince’s eyes perfectly. His pale cream silk shirt was impeccably tied at the neck with a starched, lace-trimmed cravat. A neatly pressed brocaded black waistcoat fell to his knees over snug, black-seamed trews. The silver-braided, black velvet long coat was buttoned to the heart and tied with a broad blue sash that matched the ribbon in his hair. They’d even found gleaming black knee-boots that fit over his ankle cuffs.
Ravnos’s brows lifted.
Damn. He looks good in that
. The white bandages down his arms and legs didn’t even show.
All that was left was to wait until Seht awakened, and present him with an offer he couldn’t refuse. According to the ship’s mind, that would be happening any second…
Seht groaned, winced, and struggled to sit up in the chair. He stared at his cuffed wrists, and his eyes widened. “What…?”
Ravnos drew his sword. It was time to induct his brand-new first officer. He glared down at his captive. “I offer you the position of first officer on my ship, the
Hellsbreath
. Do you accept?”
Seht’s hands fisted in the cuffs attached to the arms of the chair. “First officer? You wish me as second in command?”
Ravnos nodded. “You will obey no one’s orders but mine, but mine you will obey without question. Do you accept?”
Seht’s gaze narrowed. “This is your condition to remain?”
Ravnos held Seht’s gaze steadily, despite the fact that his heart was beating in his throat. “You may leave anytime you wish.”
Seht curled his lip, showing a long fang. “But if I…serve as your first officer, I may remain?”
Ravnos nodded. “Yes.”
Seht lifted his chin. “I accept.”
“Very well then…” Ravnos knelt at Seht’s side to release his wrists, then stepped away. “Kneel and make your oath.”
Seht rubbed his wrists and stood. He dropped to one knee and placed one hand flat on the deck. The black skirts of his coat flared around him. He looked up at Ravnos.
Ravnos set the edged tip of his sword against Seht’s bare throat. He smiled.
“Swear.”
“I, Deshryt Seht, solemnly swear on my honor to serve”—he curled his lip—
“Captain Aubrey Laslo Ravnos of the mercenary ship
Hellsbreath…
”
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Ravnos barely held on to his smile. He hadn’t realized that Seht knew his full name.
“…with all due honor, loyalty, and respect.”
Ravnos’s smile widened to a grin. “And obedience.”
Seht clenched his teeth.
Ravnos raised his brow in an open dare to omit his addition. He pressed the blade a little more firmly to Seht’s throat. A trickle of blood dribbled down to stain Seht’s cravat.
“And obedience, until death”—he flashed a smile—“or his capture by Skeldhi hunters.”
Ravnos let the growl in his chest surface. “You were supposed to say ‘or until I remove you from duty.’”
Seht let the smile fade from his lips. “You will have to kill me to remove me from your side. I will not be dismissed. As for the other…” His gaze narrowed. “The hunters still have you on their list. Sooner or later, they will find you. You can only outrun your fate for so long.”
Ravnos curled his lip in a very nasty smile. “I’ve done pretty well so far.”
Seht smiled just as nastily. “Why, so you have.” He cleared his throat. “By the grace of Mother Night and the glory of my queen, may I serve with distinction.”
“I accept.” Ravnos removed the blade from Seht’s throat and stepped away.
“Blood and Night, you’re a stubborn bastard.”
Seht stayed down on his knee but lifted one silver brow. “To quote one of your Terran sayings, it takes one to know one.”
“Why, so it does.” Ravnos tugged a handkerchief from his coat sleeve and wiped the tip of his blade. The white fabric came away stained with red. “You may rise.”
Seht rose to his feet. “Thank you…Captain.” He lifted both hands, letting the lace fall back, revealing the gold titanium cuffs on his wrists. “And these?”
Ravnos narrowed his eyes at Seht and smiled. “I didn’t have a collar.”
Seht’s eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened. “I see.” He lowered his hands and carefully drew the draping lace down over the gleaming cuffs around his wrists. “So, now what?”
Ravnos sheathed his blade. “Now, we go to an officers’ meeting where we discuss the destruction of the Moribund ships in the eighth quadrant.”
Seht nodded and smiled. “I like the sound of that.”
Ravnos’s smile turned feral. “Afterward, I take you to my personal quarters where I introduce you to my desk.”
Seht’s brows lifted. “Another desk?”
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Ravnos reached for his coat and slid into it. “Actually, it’s the same one.” He turned to smile at Seht. “President Kidd had it delivered, as a…gift in congratulations for taking a first officer.”
Seht frowned. “You told him?”
Ravnos shrugged. “I sent him an update of the ship’s crew log.”
Seht winced. “He must have seen the security tape.”
Ravnos smiled. “That too.” He turned and walked to the door. “This way, if you please.”
Seht followed at his left heel.
Ravnos led his new first officer through the smoked-steel passageways of his ship, introducing him to the key members of his crew from the bowel-deep engineering corps all the way up to the dour nav-pilot and his four subpilots on the bridge.
Seht folded his hands behind him and asked polite but pointed and
knowledgeable questions about everything from the ship’s functions and distribution of duties to astro-mechanics and protocol.
Despite the fact that Seht was clearly not human, the crew appeared to respond quite favorably to their charming first officer, using tones of respect when addressing him.
Ravnos barely noticed. He was too busy absorbing Seht’s hair shimmering frost white against the black velvet of his coat, and the way the cream silk of his collar and cravat warmed his porcelain-pale skin. He found himself distracted by Seht’s movement, gliding lightly on his feet with grace and balance despite the extra weight of his mechanical augmentations. When he spoke, his voice held almost a bell-like tone.
The subtle erotic musk of his scent perfumed the air around him.
He’s so
damned…beautiful
.
And exciting.
His blood began to race until it pounded deep and low, tightening his trousers.
Every smile and gesture became a reminder of how Seht’s tight, hot body had moved under him and around him…the sounds of flesh striking flesh, the scent of blood and semen…
By the end of the tour, Ravnos led Seht into his private office practically breathless with lust.
His lieutenant spoke softly at his shoulder. “Excellent choice for first officer, Captain.” His voice held profound satisfaction.
Ravnos started. He’d completely forgotten that he’d asked the lieutenant to meet him at his private office.
The lieutenant stepped past his captain, winked, then turned on his heel to face him holding a large red leather-bound book. A black ribbon marker trailed from the pages.
Seht turned and lifted his brow at the lieutenant. “I’m glad you approve.”
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Ravnos bit back a smile. Seht had
very
sharp hearing.
The lieutenant’s eyes widened, and his cheeks flushed. He ducked his head, dodging Seht’s sharp blue gaze, and cleared his throat. With a respectful bow, he pulled an antique-styled ink pen from his breast pocket and held out the book. “As you requested, Captain.”
Ravnos took the book and the pen from his hands. “Thank you.” He turned to set the book on his desk and opened it to the creamy white page marked by the ribbon. He turned to Seht and pointed at the open page. “Sign your name here.”
Seht frowned at the list of names on the page. “What exactly am I signing?”
Ravnos folded his arms across his chest. “Crew log.”
Seht lifted a brow at Ravnos. “An actual book? How…archaic.” He took the pen from Ravnos and signed his name and the title of first officer in neat Terran script.
“I prefer to see it as traditional.” Ravnos felt his lieutenant slip something heavy into his coat pocket.
Ah yes, my…gift
. Anticipation spilled through him, but he held back the shit-eating grin that wanted to burst forth.
Seht finished his signature and set the pen beside the book.
Ravnos closed the book and collected the pen. He turned and handed both to his lieutenant. “Is everything prepared?”
The lieutenant saluted. “As requested, Captain.”
Ravnos lifted his chin and smiled. “We will be there momentarily.”
The lieutenant nodded. “Yes, sir.” He strode across the stateroom and left, closing the door behind him.
Seht stared after the lieutenant, then turned back to Ravnos. “The officers’
meeting?”
Ravnos looked away and tugged the gloves from his hands. “Yes.” He unbuckled his sword-belt and set it to lean against the side of his desk. “But before that appointment”—he tugged the buttons of his coat open—“I have a personal gift for you.” He smiled.