Page 23 of Forbidden Desires

“I don’t understand. How could we be attacked when we’re on your spaceship that’s in space?”

“Have you watched any sci-fi programs about space?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then you’ve seen battles in space between spaceships.”

“But that’s fiction!” She almost wanted to laugh at how unreal all of this was. That kind of television wasn’t real, just something to get humans hyped up. Then again, aliens were real and not monsters who stood tall with purple skin and knew how to use their mouths and tongues. Darn it, why hadn’t she offered to get him off last night? Some mate, she was already failing at the job.

“It’s fiction in your world, and reality in mine.”

“Commander Gylor, report.” Zylar barked the minute the door to the lift opened.

“What took you so long?” Commander Gylor spit out, his eyes going to Amelia.

“If you wish to keep your eyes and your command.” Zylar went silent and Commander Gylor turned to look at him.

“A Tan-ge ship uncloaked and fired on us. Since we are flying your colors, they thought we were nothing but a med-aid ship.”

“They knew my colors, which means they knew better. Let’s show them the error of their ways.”

The commander motioned to his chair, but Zylar shook his head. He took Amelia into his arms and found a seat with a good view of the bridge.

“Unknown battleship, this is your last chance to stand down. You’ve fired on the med-healer ship, Guardian. Stand down and wait to be boarded.”

“That wouldn’t work with me,” Amelia whispered, watching the commander.

“It won’t work with them either. Don’t be fooled, we don’t want them to stand down. All we need is a reason.” She wanted to argue, but then she felt the emotions coming to her from the crew. The Tan-ge not only fired on them knowing who they were but that they helped the helpless. There was also the rage that they had devised a plan to kill every female on their planet, young and old, for their gain. They didn’t want to play nice with the scourge of the universe and she couldn’t blame them.

When the captain of the Tan-ge ship laughed, she watched the commander’s lips twist with a sick kind of joy. He was a male who didn’t enjoy killing, but there were certain things he made exceptions for, and the Tan-ge was one of them.

There was another volley of explosions that racked the Guardian.

“Shields down to ninety percent,” a voice rang out.

“Are you sure you don’t want the pleasure?” The commander turned to ask Zylar.

“Do your thing. Let me see you in action,” Amelia said.

Zylar stood and placed Amelia in the chair he was sitting in before he touched a button that held her to the chair with a force field.

He exchanged places with a young Diza male sitting in front of a terminal. Amelia wasn’t sure how she could tell that he was young. Maybe it was the pattern of his emotions when they bombarded her.

“Commander.” Zylar’s voice rang out strong and confident in his abilities.

“Fire when ready,” the commander said.

“Incoming,” the same voice from earlier said.”

The ship rocked. Amelia could feel the impact, but she thought she felt the ship release a volley of weapons aimed at the other ship. The view screen went live, and she watched the other ship being hit.

“Direct hits in quadrants six, nine, and eleven. We’ve damaged them but their shields are still holding.” Zylar nodded and stood down.

Amelia could feel his emotions like they were living and breathing inside of her. His rage knew no bounds, but the healer in him didn’t want to add to the blood on his hands. Zylar wasn’t new to fighting or killing, but his genetic makeup demanded that he heal. That he bring those with no hope or the ones on the brink of death hope and healing.

“Commander, they are charging weapons to fire again,” someone called out.

“Shit!” a different voice screamed before getting himself under control.

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