Leaving Earth by Loribelle Hunt

recovery."
    "Let's do it then."
    "No."
    She turned to glare at him. His hand squeezed around hers.
    "No, Kendall. What she isn't telling you is it's a minimum twelve hour stay. I won't leave you or my people unprotected that long," he said softly, but the others heard. Cilia snorted. "You know you can communicate with us in the tank."
    "But I can't get out ."
    Kendall knew he would hate that, not being able to defend the people he was responsible for. She wasn't worried about that. She and Britt could take care of themselves and Laney, and there were plenty of warriors around if they needed help. But there was no mistaking his mulish expression and she felt her own exasperation rise.
    Before she could argue, General Alrik Torfa stomped into the room. She'd met him once before, when he and Laney got 80
    Leaving Earth
    by Loribelle Hunt
    married shortly before their departure from Earth. She'd thought him cold and austere. Unfeeling. But now his anger was a living, palpable thing in the air. The other warriors in the room, all except Barak Trace, backed away.
    "What the fuck is going on here?" he barked at Trace.
    "You're brother's an idiot, that's what," she snapped. Daggar snarled, so low she thought she was the only one who heard it. "Watch it, der'lan ." She knew that tone and narrowed her eyes. There was no way he was pulling that dominant crap on her in a medical situation. Here she was the expert. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but snapped it shut when Laney and Britt walked in. Both women were armed, and Kendall admitted a small amount of relief over the familiar sight, Laney's gun and knife strapped to her thighs and Britt's pistol in a shoulder holster. Almost like old times. Except it wasn't old times. She glared at Britt who held her hands up before her in mock surrender.
    "Hey, don't look at me," she said. "I don't have any more control over her than you do."
    Laney just gave her that stubborn look that Kendall knew meant it was a waste of breath to argue with her. Exasperated and ready to wash her hands of both of them, she set her hands on her hips and scowled.
    "Jesus H. Christ. Can't anyone follow a simple medical order?"
    "No," chorused Cilia, Alrik, and Barak. Laney ignored her and turned to Barak, who was watching Britt oddly, a look of fascination mixed with something 81
    Leaving Earth
    by Loribelle Hunt
    Kendall wanted to call fear. She dismissed the idea. This wasn't a man who was afraid of anything. "What happened?"
    "Explosion," he said curtly.
    "I'm getting sick of those," Laney said alluding to an event Kendall had heard about secondhand that had taken place months ago on Earth. Kendall had picked up some intelligence, but hadn't been able to get in touch with Laney so she'd arranged a meeting with Barak. He'd arrived just in time to assist Laney in repelling an attack by Delroi rebels against the Overchief, his brother Alrik, and several of their men.
    Barak glanced around the room. "We should adjourn to someplace more secure."
    Daggar sat up and she whirled back around to face him.
    "Oh, no you don't. You're staying here in the infirmary. Where I can keep an eye on you."
    His lips twisted in a smile that made her stomach drop as Alrik helped him stand and steady himself.
    "Dammit, Daggar."
    He shifted closer. Circling her waist with one arm and leaning into her a little, he whispered in her ear, "You're not going to win this battle. All you're doing is getting yourself in more trouble, der'lan ."
    The image he filled her mind with made her shiver and not in a bad way. Tied down. At the mercy of his tongue and hands. He stumbled a little as they left for the family quarters, and she realized with a small pang of disappointment, he wouldn't be up for that for some while.
    "Don't count on it," he growled for only her to hear. 82
    Leaving Earth
    by Loribelle Hunt
    He was like a grumpy bear. She smiled, almost laughed at the image, but kept the thought to herself. When they reached