Page 6 of There's an Elf in My Cockpit

“I just don’t want to see anyone hurt,” I admitted because that suddenly seemed easier than thinking about how my body was responding to him. His mouth quirked in a grin and his eyes twinkled with amusement, and dare I say it, with a little hint of tenderness. My palm against his chest was tingling, my belly a nervous mess because that little twist at the corner of his mouth was sexy as sin.

“We won’t, Belal is going to be fine. He’s a tough kid. Look,” he added and gestured at the pilot console where he’d been checking readings earlier. “I discovered some anomalous energy readings not too far from where we are. I’m going to check it out, it might be a moon base.”

A moon base on this ice moon? An ice moon with a horrible reputation and terrible electrical currents in the upper atmosphere. That seemed unlikely but when I leaned over to peer at the readings I had to admit that those energy spikes were very different from anything else out there. It also looked like it was only a short distance from where we were.

With a little lift from his big hands around my waist I suddenly found myself back on my feet, swaying from the sudden change and the lack of his warmth against my body. He was already across the shuttle by the time I’d gathered my wits. His body moved in a beautiful display of muscles as he shrugged into the parka he’d left near the hatch and stomped into a pair of snow boots.

Ah fuck, he was leaving immediately, I couldn’t have that. “I’m coming with you!” I called out, racing for the second coat which Darth was already approaching, I snatched it away right from under his nose, clutching it to my chest as if he would try to take it from me. “I’m coming too,” I repeated, meeting Oliver’s stony expression.

I didn’t want to beg, but if I had to, I absolutely would. This was the solution, I’d be with Oliver, so not out there alone at risk of dying. Yet, I’d be away from the shuttle and the innocent kids, they wouldn’t be collateral that way.

“No, you are staying here, you’re not dressed for the temperatures outside,” the human male declared. There was no sign of the friendly, cheerful guy now, he wasn’t acting laid back and flirty, he was making a decree. His eyes dropped from my face after a long moment to linger along the white and red striped stockings that were the only covering for my legs. They only reached to mid-thigh, just below the hemline of the skintight dress with the pleated skirt.

I recognized the appreciation in his eyes, I could work with that, it was familiar ground. Only I had just started to adopt a more seductive pose when the nearly adult Tarkan male inserted himself more firmly into our conversation. A wing opened to cup partially around my back, not quite touching, a slate gray arm reaching out to tap the parka I was clutching to my chest. “That is my coat, Miss. I will be accompanying Olly. You will be much safer here.” His gray eyes were nearly black and completely serious, the wing drifting closer to me the longer I kept looking at him.

Oliver made a low noise in the back of his throat and then he snapped in a tone I hadn’t heard him use with the teens before. “You aren’t coming Darth, you’re staying with the shuttle.” He moved closer, slinging his arm around my shoulder and pushing that big leather wing away in the process. “Belal needs you to be here when he wakes up.”

Nobody present missed the obvious claim he was staking but I didn’t protest if this worked to my advantage. “Then I can use this parka and I can pad those boots, that could work,” I insisted, and I pointed at the far too large set of boots that Darth had previously used. They were still dripping melted snow onto the metal flooring near the hatch. I wasn’t looking forward to having to put them on but it was still better than staying here and risking unleashing the wrath of Elpherian on all of them.

I didn’t like risking Oliver that way either, he was only human after all. But he was a big man and an adult. He seemed capable and at ease during the chase and the subsequent crash. I had to assume that meant he had some kind of training for situations such as these, a soldier, a warrior, or maybe a rescue worker of some kind. I didn’t know what kind of jobs his species had that might fit.

When no one responded to what I’d said, I started to yank the parka on over my dress, closing the tab with a defiant glare directed at the human male. His mouth quirked into a grin in response and I felt a shiver of relief, I hadn’t liked that closed-off, firm expression from before. I might find confidence sexy, but I hated it when anyone tried to tell me what to do.

“I’d imagine you’d rather stay inside where it’s warm, why the fuck are you so hellbent on going out there?” he demanded despite the smile. He lifted his arm and pointed at the hatch with a finger. Beside me, I heard Darth mutter under his breath about foul language but he clearly didn’t dare to say that out loud. I wanted to laugh at that but it was obvious that Oliver wanted an explanation I didn’t really want to give.

I debated it in my head but I just couldn’t see this ending right. When they knew just who Elpherian was, Oliver wouldn’t want to help, but he’d probably agree to let me go outside. The wrath of a high-placed criminal working for none other than one of the most feared Crimelords out there… That was going to make all of them flinch away from me.

I felt despair wash over me. I was always alone; my family had kicked me out the moment they realized what trouble I’d landed in this time. The witness protection officers had been kind but distant, all except Merila but she was far away, she couldn’t be my ally now. Though I barely knew Oliver, it had felt like he was on my side when he just assumed I’d be fleeing with them the moment he noticed the trouble down on the planet.

If I told him the truth and he’d withdraw that help; that was what any sensible person would do at least. But to not tell him meant endangering the kids when he insisted I stay here. Point in case, his expression grew more grim and stern. “Fine, don’t tell me. You can stay in here. Darth make sure she doesn’t leave.” He turned around and headed for the hatch without a backward glance, the young Tarkan’s hand landing on my arm as if he intended to physically hold me in place.

I shrugged out of that grip as panic clawed at me. No, he couldn’t leave! “Wait, fine!” I yelled out and then winced when that caused poor Belal to twist and moan on the cot behind me. I was on Oliver as fast as my legs could take me, grabbing his arm with both hands. “I’ll tell you!” I whispered, though my words still carried from how harshly I spat them out.

From the corner of my eye, I caught the sudden grin on Darth’s otherwise stony face and suddenly felt played. That kid was much too clever for his own good, he’d staged that wing grab to make Oliver possessive, and now he’d let me go so I could make my case yet again. What was he playing at?

Oliver half-turned his body, his wide set of shoulders filling up my vision. He crossed his arms over that barrel chest, dragging my hands along with him so they were tucked between his folded limbs. I didn’t pull away which was what he probably meant for me to do, trying to push my buttons.

Pitching my voice much lower, I hoped that none of the avidly spying teens would overhear. “That guy out there?” I said, vaguely pointing out the hatch since I had no idea where on the moon my ex had crashed or landed. “He’s the right-hand man of Jalima, the Crimelord. He’s my ex and now I’m supposed to be in witness protection while I wait for them to make the arrest and put him on trial… He’s going to stop at nothing until I’m dead.”

Oliver’s expression didn’t change at all as I told him that so I dared to more fiercely add, “That’s why I need to get out of here! So I don’t endanger the boys!” I hadn’t realized that the fierce tangle of emotions that was tied into all this had made me speak much louder than I intended. When I said the last words the hushed silence that followed made me far too aware of all the eyes on me.

It was a gentle, soft voice that spoke with determination into that silence, “You’ll be safe here, Miss Vi. If anyone comes through that door, I will eat them for you.” Belal was sitting up on his cot, perched mostly on his elbows to keep himself upright. I wasn’t well-versed in reading the expressions on the furred Hoxiam’s face, but even I could tell that he was filled with determination.

I didn’t get a chance to respond or process what that sweet offer made me feel, his offer was followed by Darth declaring the same, and then each boy pitched in. Each rushed to boast about their fighting prowess, their ability to protect me. Although only Belal’s statement had included actually eating my enemies.

Though I didn’t want to crush their spirit, I was certain that the horror I was feeling was evident on my face. No, this was the very last thing I wanted, for some young teenagers to fight for me. I wanted to leave so I could keep them safe, it shouldn’t be the other way around.

Oliver was the only one who hadn’t said a word, and his opinion mattered the most, he was the one in charge here after all. Instead of speaking, he stalked away from the hatch, going straight for a panel in one of the shuttle walls and yanking it open. “If you’re coming, you’ll need more than just a coat and some boots,” was all he said over his shoulder.

Chapter 4

Oliver

I stepped out of the shuttle after kitting out the Elrohirian woman with all the gear I could possibly find aboard the shuttle. There was snow gear for the human ladies from the Vagabond that fit her much better than the stuff the Gladiators wore. The parka she’d taken from Darth for one would never work for her, it had slits in the back for his wings.

Of all the stupid, asinine things to demand, going out in subzero temperatures when you didn’t need to was the worst. The cold could kill a person so fast without the right gear, and walking across the surface of an ice moon without knowing the terrain and without any training was practically a death sentence. I’d have to be on my toes to keep her alive and she’d slow me down significantly.

Knowing her reasons for wanting to do it… It meant I couldn’t say no. She was right, letting her stay on the shuttle would put all the boys at risk and I couldn’t allow that. Better that I just risked my own neck out there while I was with her.

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