Chapter One
Some soldiers loved the fact that no matter where you were stationed, you could always get certain foods: burgers, fries, that sort of thing. A taste of home.
Wendy chuckled at the thought. She didn’t know whether she was impressed or annoyed that her food options weren’t more exotic. Somehow when she’d first arrived at Luna Lodge, she’d thought they would be.
Then again, there was no reason they should be at that moment. Even though the hybrids’ land lay within US borders, dealing with the amber-eyed super-soldiers of Luna Lodge was a far stranger experience than those she’d had when stationed in the Middle East or Asia.
She sighed. None of that changed her real food issue. The burger and fries on her plate didn’t do much to summon her appetite, but she knew there wasn’t going to be much chance to eat as the day went on. Not to mention the banana and granola bar from breakfast would only get her so far.
Moving away from the serving line, she glanced around the dining hall. The great space, once designed to be where guests of Luna Lodge would eat, now found itself full of hulking hybrids and military personnel.
Or, if she thought about it a different way, it was filled with super-soldiers and normal soldiers. It was an odd mix for such a grand place, but that was the world she now lived in.
Across the room, Jamie and Leah waved for her to come sit down. She smiled a little. The two women had recently arrived to help with the education of the younger hybrids.
The previous teacher had gone missing a few weeks ago, and Colonel Hall wasn’t taking any chances with the hybrids selecting their own teacher again. The commander was convinced the whole thing was part of some sort of scheme by the hybrids. Instead, she brought in two who had taught at their last installation.
Wendy didn’t mind. It was kind of a nice treat for her, really. There weren’t that many women transferred into the unit assigned to Luna Lodge, and she was glad to have two she already knew.
She slid in next to Jamie, who was practically bouncing in her seat. Her short brown hair had flipped out to frame her shoulders and made her look about ten years younger than she was.
“You won’t believe it,” Jamie exclaimed.
Wendy raised a brow to Leah. They both knew their friend was more easily excited than either of them would ever be.
“What’s going on?” Wendy asked and took a bite out of her burger.
Subpar. Not a good start.
“We have dates,” Jamie said. She grinned from ear to ear.
Wendy nearly choked on her bland burger.
“Correction, you have a date,” Leah said. “I’m just there as a bonus.”
Wendy stared between the two women. “Well, that didn’t take long.”
“You know how they had one of the hybrids bringing the boys to class?” Jamie said.
Wendy nodded. It had been a point of contention for a bit with Colonel Hall, but things had been going smoothly as far as Wendy knew. Besides, it wasn’t like they couldn’t allow the hybrids to be involved in some way with the education of their own people.
“Well, the guy who picks them up is always so quiet,” Jamie continued on, picking at her meal as she did so. “I was just sure he didn’t even know I existed. Then suddenly he asks what we’re doing this Friday. Can you believe that?”
Leah sighed loudly. “He only included me because it would have been weird.”
Jamie turned and made a face. “He said there would be some other guys there. You’re just mad that you can’t hide away and read all weekend.”
Wendy watched them in silence, chewing her food. She wasn’t much for drama, and so didn’t want to say something that might draw her into the argument.
Leah set her fork down on her tray to properly stare down Jamie. “And what’s so wrong with staying home and reading?”
Jamie snorted. “Nothing,” she said with a smile. “If all you want to do is read about hot and sticky sex instead of actually having hot and sticky sex.”
Wendy sighed again. Her friend’s sexual appetite rivaled many of the men she was around. She wasn’t against a little fun, but Jamie always seemed to jump into things too quickly.
In the end, Jamie spent more time being hurt by her assumptions than anything else. There was a part of Wendy that wondered if her friend was going through a bit of self sabotage maybe so she never had to actually deal with a real relationship. Wendy knew more than a few women like that.
“Well, you all have fun,” she said.
She was slightly surprised at first that a hybrid had shown interest in her friend, but then when she thought about it, it made sense.
Luna Lodge was the ultimate sausage party. The hybrids might be genetically engineered, but they were still men, and most of them had to be wanting women.
Leah let out a sharp laugh. “You want to talk about never getting any? You’re looking at the wrong person. Surrounded by fit men in uniform, and she’s still single.”
Wendy looked down at her tray. She’d tried her best, but they still had drawn her in. Maybe if she pretended they weren’t looking at her they would stop. She glanced up from the food and found them both watching her.
“Whatever,” she said. “You don’t get it because you’re a civilian.”
Leah frowned. “What’s that have to do with it?”
“I have to work with the other soldiers in my unit. I don’t want to fuck things up with a relationship.”
Jamie glanced around. “Sure, sure. What about one of the hybrids?” She fanned herself for a moment. “A lot of these guys…”
It wasn’t that Wendy hadn’t noticed. Hell, she’d have to be blind not to see the God-like physiques of the hybrid men, but it just seemed like a bad idea. Who knew what was going to happen with them?
Plus she didn’t want to have to make a choice between her duty and her boyfriend. After all, the main reason the Army was there was to keep an eye on the hybrids. She didn’t feel great about that, as it seems like they were more victims than aggressors, but that call was way above the pay grade of a staff sergeant.
“I’m good,” Wendy said with a smile.
Jamie rolled her eyes. “That’s not what your vibrator says.”
A loud choking noise came from behind her. She turned and found a corporal standing there. His face was beet red, and he was looking anywhere but at her face.
She glanced down. He wasn’t holding a tray. So, this wasn’t a chance encounter.
Damn it. She turned to glare at Jamie. That was the last thing she needed getting around. She liked her teacher friends, but they just didn’t understand what it meant for her to be a staff sergeant in the US Army.
“Get to the point, Corporal,” Wendy barked.
“Um, Colonel Hall would like to see you when you’ve finished,” he said.
Wendy nodded and watched the man quickly run off. She was sure she’d have her friend’s words come back to bite her in the ass later.
She tried so hard to avoid drama, but it still managed to drag her in. Fun, fun.
“Ugh, what does she want now?” Jamie groaned. “Can’t she let you eat one meal in peace?”
Wendy shook her head. She’d heard their complaints so many times now, they didn’t really upset her.
She could even understand how they saw things. Unless you served, a lot of things about the military probably seemed oppressive, even when they were necessary for good order and discipline.
“She’s really not so bad,” Wendy said, and took a couple bites.
“Define not so bad,” Leah said. “Because I think we have different definitions.”
Wendy took a drink of her soda. “She just likes things by the book, and order is important. She’s a colonel in the Army. She has to be strict.”
Jamie grunted. “She’s a battle-ax, and her rules are only making things worse.”
“You’re just mad that your date has to end at ten.”
Jamie huffed and shoved a bite of pasta in her mouth. Wendy could see their point, especially with grown women having to deal with a lengthy curfew.
Colonel Hall could sometimes be a bit… much, but Wendy knew how much she’d sacrificed to get to where she was. A woman in her position had to be hard, or everyone else would walk all over her.
She also knew the colonel cared. Over the last few years, she’s seen the softer side of the woman and knew the impact her job had on her. She didn’t just want to be the rules person, but the protector of people. It was just how she was able to best do that.
Wendy popped the last of the burger into her mouth and stood up.
“We still meeting at your place for beer?” Leah asked. “Unless Colonel Hall prohibits that, too.”
“We’re still meeting,” Wendy said. She had a feeling she was going to need a big drink later.