Chapter Sixteen

Ragnar

Even though Ragnar hadn’t slept in two nights, he wouldn’t allow himself to rest until the ship was fully rigged with explosives. He made sure Natasha was well-protected with his best guards, and returned to the docking bay where the ship was hidden from sight.

A cadre of soldiers stood outside the portal. None knew what lay on the other side of the doors because Gunnar wasn’t entirely certain there weren’t spies right here on Jaeger. Not likely, but his brother didn’t want to take any chances. They saluted Ragnar as he passed.

Inside the cavernous room, Gunnar sat, alone at a desk. The only light shone from a small lamp. The ship, a hulking shadow, lay behind him, awaiting its deadly mission. His brother looked up from the manifest. “You should be resting. Everything is done. The ship will depart this evening for the Tarascan Quadrant. The crew thinks they’re transporting a load of Iridium.”

“I won’t rest until the thief is dealt with.”

Gunnar smirked. “You do love the girl, don’t you?”

Ragnar shook his head in warning. He wouldn’t allow Gunnar to make light of his feelings for Natasha. In the past, he might have scoffed at the idea of a mate, but the moment he realized who she was to him, his entire world had tilted on its axis. In a single, blinding instant, the girl had gone from a sweet, beguiling nuisance to The One. His Everything.

“How is it possible that a Maiden, an Andromedin worker, could transform into a lovely woman?” Gunnar asked.

Ragnar studied him and noted that his brother’s taunting demeanor was gone. Gunnar looked at him inquisitively as if he truly wanted to know the answer to something Ragnar didn’t understand either. How could Ragnar explain the impossible?

“I suppose it was meant to be,” Ragnar said, bracing himself for Gunnar’s cynical reply.

But his brother merely shrugged and returned his attention to the manifest. “The pirate has an interest in Natasha as well.”

“I know that. Isn’t that obvious from the note?”

“The pirate’s interest in Natasha isn’t casual. I received another message about her.”

“Another message? When?” White-hot rage traced through Ragnar’s veins. He wasn’t sure who made him angrier, the thief or his brother. Gunnar announced the fiend’s message as casually as a passing comment about the weather.

“Quit playing games with me and spit it out, Gunnar.”

“He’s furious that we have a Maiden here on Jaegar. He says it’s unnatural for races to interbreed and soon we’ll poach females from other planets. He’s offered to give up stealing from Jaegar’s ships in exchange for Natasha.”

Inside, Ragnar’s wolf seethed. It took an immense effort to keep from shifting. He needed to keep his wits about him and conserve his strength for whatever battle lay ahead. Someone wanted Natasha very badly. The man, a Vrandarian most likely, must not understand that Ragnar was prepared to kill anyone who might threaten her.

“The pirate will be dead soon. What do you care what he offers?”

“I think he suspects something and wants to negotiate.”

“I won’t even consider a deal. This is blackmail and he’s talking about my mate. What does he want? To return her to Andromeda? Her people tried to kill her.”

“He sent communications that he intends to keep her. He knew about the threats against her on Andromeda. How, I’m not sure.”

Ragnar paced back and forth in the docking area. He’d never known such anger or need to kill an enemy. His wolf snapped and snarled. He imagined hunting this man down and tearing him apart with his razor-sharp teeth.

“I want this man alive,” Gunnar said quietly. “I want to know who he works for and how he knows so much about our transports.”

Ragnar turned slowly to face his brother. “You agreed, didn’t you?” he asked softly. “You offered Natasha up like she’s just some prisoner.”

Gunnar held up his hands as if to ward off Ragnar’s fury. “He wants to come to Jaegar and retrieve her. Once he lands, I’ll teleport him and his men off his ship.”

“I won’t put Natasha at risk.” Ragnar’s self-control slipped perilously. He wasn’t sure what Gunnar had in mind. He probably didn’t want to know.

“She’ll need to be visible to the man as he lands. If he doesn’t see her, he might not come close enough for us to get a bead on him and his crew.”

Ragnar drew closer. “Absolutely not.”

“I’m doing this to protect Natasha as much as for my own desire to stop the theft. If we don’t apprehend the man, how will we be certain Natasha is safe in the future?”

Ragnar’s thoughts were nothing but turmoil. Usually, he was the calm and decisive brother, but the mere idea of a threat to Natasha had him wild with anger. In a way, Gunnar’s words made sense. If the man weren’t apprehended, he might steal Natasha. He had a perfect track record of getting away with robbery. What if he decided, for whatever reason, that he wanted to take people instead of precious minerals?

He nodded. “When is he coming?”

“Tomorrow at midday.” Gunnar leaned forward. “The prisoner is mine to do what I please.”

Ragnar scowled.

Gunnar shrugged a shoulder. “I know you’ll want to kill him outright, but you might not want your bride to see your bloodthirsty side.”

Ragnar said nothing. No, he didn’t want Natasha to see him kill a man, even if that man threatened to take her from him. In the end, that might not matter. If there was a fight when the ship landed, he’d come out on top and would be willing to commit to whatever carnage necessary to eliminate the threat to Natasha.

His need to claim and mark Natasha flared hot inside him. Tonight, he’d need to make her his, not only for his own sanity but to prove to Natasha, beyond a shadow of doubt, that she belonged to him.