Page 2 of Obsession

Jess’s cheeks colored as she elbowed me in the ribs. “Not counting Torq. Or Ariana’s boyfriend Volten, Fiona’s Commander Vyk, or that hottie Kann.”

Now it was my cheeks’ turn to warm, although there was no reason why the mention of Kann should make my heart trip in my chest. He was a friend. Nothing else.

Of course, there was that matter of the deal we’d made. My palms tingled at the memory of Kann offering to teach me the art of seduction. I looked away and hoped Jess didn’t notice my reaction.

What had I been thinking? First off, I should not be trying to seduce anyone, especially not the Taori who’d been working with the engineering school to upgrade the academy’s security systems. I’d been assigned to be Zav’s liaison while he was at the school, which meant that the last thing on my mind should be anything but work.

But there was something about the Taori with his silvery horns, long hair, heavily inked skin, and swishing tail. He was both serious and primal, highly intelligent, and deeply intuitive. I didn’t know much about the Taori, but I did know that they were journeying across the universe to defeat the destructive Sythian swarm that came from their planet. They’d been traveling for decades and would probably never return to their home world. Maybe it was a combination of that heroism and Zav’s brilliance that made it impossible for me to act normal around him.

Kann had witnessed me being reduced to a simpering idiot, which was why he’d offered to help me. That had been embarrassing enough, but why had I agreed to his offer? There was no way I was going to make a move on the Taori, even if I didfind myself drawn to him. And there was no way I could let Kann teach me his moves. That would be beyond mortifying.

“Britta?” Jess’s voice jerked me back to our conversation.

“Sorry. I was thinking that we should be safe from Drexian cadets in the Stacks.”

Jess smiled at me. “That’s what I think. At least we’ll be able to continue our strategy sessions for Sasha’s rescue in there without being disturbed.”

“I hope so.” The thought of the new term slowing down our plans to rescue the abducted Earth pilot made me anxious. If we didn’t launch the rescue missions soon, Ariana would steal a ship and go get her sister on her own.

I might not have any siblings, but now that the women at the academy were like family to me, I couldn’t imagine letting them languish in an enemy prison. No, we needed to find Sasha and save her from the cruel Kronock.

“I’d better get to class.” Jess cast a glance toward the School of Strategy. “Fiona might be our friend, but she’s a hard-ass about being late.”

I released a reluctant breath. “I don’t know who’s teaching my first class.”

“Tell me all about it at lunch.” Jess gave me a wave as she backed away.

I ducked under a Drexian's gesturing arm as I threaded my way through the crowd toward the School of Engineering, my heart lurching as I spotted Kann near the entrance to the School of Battle, no doubt on his way to teach his first class.

Dark stubble dusted his cheeks, and his dark, Drexian uniform was open slightly at the collar to reveal the flash of metal that I knew to be a silver Blade pendant. Everything about him oozed confidence and brawn, which was probably why the sight of him made my heart race. I dipped my head low and hoped he would not see me as I hurried to my class.

I’d just walked beneath the arch leading to engineering, when running footsteps behind me made me stiffen. Then, a deep voice calling my name made my heart drop.

Chapter

Two

Kann

Istomped down the long hallway leading to the School of Battle, my fingers tingling in anticipation. The first day of a new term always filled me with anticipation and curiosity, but this one felt different.

It had not been the usual break between terms. Instead of returning to my family home when all the cadets had left the halls of the academy hollow and hushed, I’d elected to stay behind. I’d stayed mostly because of Volten. My best friend had become estranged from the family he’d grown up with, and he did not feel a part of the family he’d recently discovered, so it made sense that he remain at the school. Not that he would have left Ariana.

He and the human pilot had been inseparable since they’d gotten together during her first year at the academy as part of the initial group of humans integrating the academy. And she refused to go back to Earth unless it was with her sister. Until we rescued Sasha, Ariana wasn’t budging.

That was another reason I’d stayed. I’d eagerly joined the effort to locate the abducted Earth pilot and mount a rescue mission. As a Blade, my battle skills would be needed when we encountered the Kronock. After all, we’d be entering their space, which was not something to attempt lightly.

My pulse jangled as I thought about the impending rescue. That wasn’t the only reason this term felt different. Not only were there more human cadets in the new class, but there were also Taori on the premises.

“The humans and Taori might one day outnumber the Drexians,” I said under my breath as I breathed in the lingering scent of char that had permeated the stone buildings since the Kronock attack. As I walked deeper into the school and past the open door to the gauntlet and the climbing wall, the scent of sweat mingled with the traces of smoke.

I welcomed the distinct aroma of the domain of the Blades into my lungs. Much might have changed about the academy, but the School of Battle remained steeped in the old ways. Our cadets still learned to grapple and climb and wield a Drexian blade, and as of yet there were no human females in our ranks. It was the one remaining school that was entirely male.

My nose twitched as I was hit with the pungent scent of feet. Not that this was always something to brag about.

“Lieutenant.”

A fellow Battle instructor nodded to me as we passed, and I thumped my hand across my chest to acknowledge his higher rank. “Commander T’vonn.”

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