Page 63 of Shae’s Bounty

“Resuscitate,” I tell her grimly, and hit the flashing button.

CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE

Shae

* * *

Raela leads me through a maze of hidden hallways that weave in and out behind walls, through passageways, until I’m thoroughly lost. Not that I had any sense of where in the station I was in the first place.

The whole time, my chest is aching from worrying about Volethos.

Zell and Danielle will get him in time. He’ll be fine.

I stopped paying attention to where we were going a while back, but when Raela pushes her way through a doorway, I find myself hesitating, rethinking how blindly I’ve been following her. Suddenly her hand grabs my wrist, and I’m pulled through the doorway and into a large hangar. My feet shuffle to a stop at the rows and rows of sleek black ships lined up before us.

A ramp lowers from one of them, and Raela strides toward it, with me following at a much slower pace. A tall blue male with black hair, pulled back tightly from his face and braided down his back, strides down the ramp and toward us. He’s wearing a black fitted uniform and combat boots. Behind him, a long tail swishes in time with his stride.

“Raela, is everything in place?” he asks in lieu of a greeting.

She nods. “The girls are ready and waiting for the signal. Kurrahstka must scent that something is happening, though; he’s on edge.”

The male nods sharply before he turns and signals at the ship he just stepped out of. When he turns back, his eyes fall on Raela. “About time you showed up.”

Ignoring him, she reaches back and takes hold of my wrist, pulling me forward so I’m standing beside her. “This is Shae. She was abducted from her planet and purchased at an illegal auction by Kurrahstka.”

“Shae? This is Agent Xedrus,” she introduces. “He’s my commanding officer in the Federation.”

I nod at him but otherwise stay quiet.

Xedrus’s eyes, which are a dark plum color, widen in surprise as he seems to notice me for the first time. He glances to Raela and then back at me. “She is… human?”

Raela’s hand is still wrapped around my wrist, and I don’t miss the way her grip tightens. “She is. And she’s mated to a Vesen.”

Xedrus’s eyes narrow slightly, “Matedwillingly?”

I notch my chin higher, meeting his eyes and answering with a firm, “Yes.” I’m not about the throw Volethos under the bus in front of these guys, but I promise he and I will be having a chat about ourmatingjust as soon as we have a chance.

Xedrus nods again, accepting my answer. “And where is your mate?”

“Kurrahstka shot him out of an emergency pod.” I try to keep the quiver out of my voice. “His team should have collected him by now, and I expect they’ll be arriving shortly.”

The alien male looks even more disappointed, and I glance over at Raela, not sure if I trust this dude.

As if he realizes how he’s coming across, Xedrus steps back and bows his head to me. “You are welcome to stay on my ship until this is over. You will be safe there until your mate arrives.”

The scoff is out of my mouth before I can stop it, and I roll my shoulders back, standing up to my full height. “Fuck that. I want to be in on this takedown too.”

“Shae has earned her right to justice,” Raela tells him, letting go of my wrist.

Xedrus looks torn for a moment but finally concedes with another nod. Then he pulls a comm from a hidden pocket. “Is the station surrounded?”

There is a moment of silence, and then a raspy voice replies, “Yes, sir.”

“Then let’s get this over with. Proceed as planned.” Xedrus puts his comm away and turns to Raela as more uniformed aliens, both male and female, begin filing out of the black ships behind him. “Go. Tell your inside team it’s time to strike. Get eyes on Kurrahstka and keep them there, so we can get him before he tries to flee.”

Raela salutes the male and then turns on her heel, and I’m forced to jog after her as she hurries from the hangar.

“Where are we going now?” I ask when I catch up.

---