Kerner growled, but he was flushing.

“—ask for a couple of females who know how to give a tit rub.” He said the last two words in N’Glish, enunciating carefully for the old pilot’s benefit. “It will eat your mind alive.”

The ship thumped hard and Kerner slapped at the docking controls, securing and pressurizing the airlock. The lights above the console went from green to gold, and then the co-pilot called all-clear to open.

“I’ll tell you what,” Kerner said, punching at the lockpad. “Just so you know there’s no rough feelings, I’ll be sure to send you a feed of me fucking this female. Give you something to look at while you’re—”

The high-pitched whine of blaster fire terminated this promise. Kerner flew back, struck the restraining shield of Kane’s holding cell and there lay staring, his flesh slowly blackening as it cooked in the invisible rays.

Kane straightened up sharply, watching with narrow eyes and no small amount of confusion as a male wearing what looked like a genuine Fleet officer’s uniform marched through the airlock and shot the just-standing co-pilot in the head.

“E’Var,” the stranger said, holstering his weapon with a grin. “I’m glad I caught up with you.”

“Do I know you?” Kane asked, bewildered.

“No.” The stranger laughed and kicked Kerner’s corpse aside so he could unlock Kane’s cell. “But there is someone out there who wants you free very badly. If I were a jealous male, I might be concerned.”

Blaster fire snapped out three times in rapid succession, peppering Rak’s chest, head, and belly.

“You’ve got nothing to be jealous about.”

The words were Jotan. But the voice—

Kane spun in a state of shock and watched the small female step out of the airlock and onto the ship. She lowered her blaster and smiled at him. Her hair was purple, a deep glossy, unreal shade of purple, with locks of white framing her human face. The dark edging at her scalp was gone. She’d found a way to color it fresh after all.

“I belong to Commander Kane,” Raven said.

Kane took two steps toward her before he could reassert his self-control, but Raven came the rest of the way, sparing him the indignity of having to embrace her by falling on her knees before him and kissing his talons.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m so sorry. It took me so long. I had to do things—” She raised her head and sent the body of Rak a despairing look before dropping to kiss his talons again. “—but it was for you. I belong to you. Forgive me, Kane.”

He put his hand down and felt that hot leap in his gut as she seized him and sucked deep on one of his fingers. “I’ll think about it,” he said.

“I had to sell some Vahst,” she admitted. Her hand went to his groin; her palm moved in light, small circles. “But I kept all the good stuff. It’s on the other ship. Please say you forgive me, Kane. Please.”

Gods, to hear her begging again.

Kane pulled her to her feet roughly and bit her on the jaw, hard enough to taste her blood, and she moaned and pushed her hips against his. “Am I hurting you?” he growled, his teeth grazing down her slender neck.

“Yes,” she gasped. “I belong to you. Hurt me. Forgive me. I belong to Kane.”

He pushed her chin up and crushed his mouth into hers, forcing her open, drawing her breath inside him. She kissed him back with equal violence, proving once and for all time that she was his Raven. His fine, fierce Raven.

He shoved her away, grinning hard, and caught her wrist in a grip he knew must hurt her as he nipped fondly at her knuckles. “This time,” he said, “let’s give them some wreckage to find.”

THE END

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