Chapter 12 : Debrief

Javier's POV The scent of blood was thick in the air. Fuck, my jaw ached, wanting nothing more than to taste Theo for myself. Sweep the tip of my tongue across the trembling flesh. Impatience swirled in my blood, pumping hotly into every vein. I gripped my hands into fists, willing the beast inside to lower its heavy head. Dissipate back into my bones. My control was a thin wire, especially as I noticed the gashes in her leather jacket weeping blood. Daxton noticed, spinning around to me again. "What the fuck happened down there?" he demanded. I parted my lips to reply, but Theo beat me to it, taking big thick gulps of air as she choked out, "I got what we needed." She reached for the document in her jacket. "Take these to Benji." Daxton narrowed his eyes, accepting the crumpled form. Without even looking at the document, he reached out to Theo. His entire body slacked, softening with concern. "Are you okay?" Theo ducked, avoiding his touch altogether. She was clearly struggling with something, apparent in the tormented slant of her shoulders. "You should get Ellie to take a look at those," Daxton said softly, not trying to touch her again. "No," she snapped, voice breaking. "I'll take care of it." "Theo—" Daxton started. "No. Just take the coordinates to Benji. I can't do this right now," Theo stated firmly, leaving no room for an argument. Without another word, she turned, retreating into the belly of the ship. Her hands pressed into with side of her head as if trying to dislodge an unseen pain inside. I felt the impulse to follow her, especially when I could still feel her in my arms, holding onto her tight as we left orbit. Her nose pressed into the well of my collarbone, breath puffing in thinly veiled anxiety. Now that we were out of immediate harm, she wanted to crumble. I could feel it in how she quivered. I made a movement to follow her, but Daxton's arm shot out, stopping me in my tracks. "Don't. I need you to tell me what happened down there." I filled him in. The high tension. The demands. I told him about how the Pantomath double-crossed Theo. How he drugged me and told her that she had to pick between me and Ellie to get the information she wanted if she wanted to get off of the space station. And how I thought he was lying. The Pantomath would have taken what he wanted with or without Theo's consent. Daxton interrupted me. "He wanted Ellie?" Daxton asked, glancing up the steps toward the living area of the ship. The shock was apparent on his face. His eyes widened in realization. "Theo would never give up Ellie…" he murmured. His gaze found mine. His eyes were just as warm as Theo's even if he hadn't lost the glimmer of naivety. "She would come back from meeting him with scars. Limping. I never knew why." A wave of anger swept over my body like a brutal wind. I fought the primal urge to bare my teeth and let the canines descend over my bottom lip. How many times had the Pantomath hurt Theo because she refused to give someone over to him? "Don't tell Theo I said that," Daxton said suddenly as if he misspoke. "She hates being pitied." He sighed deeply, the gears turning in his head with obvious concern for his sister. He waved it away, focusing on me again. "But, since you were drugged, you should probably have Ellie check you out. Clear you for action." That was probably a good idea. I don't know what they injected me with, I just knew it weakened me. "We'll reconvene after some rest. I know Theo needs it," Daxton trailed off before mumbling under his breath, "I can't believe she's caring for those wounds by herself." My limbs still felt heavy on my way to the Medbay. The cord on my neck was sore from the injection. But I could feel it wearing off. The temporary numbness and shakiness leeching from my body. I remembered staring up at Theo, a fear of the unknown stroking my soul. I grasped onto her leg to center myself. To keep the room from spinning as I had overindulged on the green ecarthed. But the way she looked at me…I knew she'd get me out of there. I had to trust her. And she did. She saved me. Put her neck on the line and took a gamble. It paid off. Theo was magnificent. A force of nature. So fucking clever. I could still taste her lips against mine, a fiery passion only she was capable of. I saw the way Theo limped on the way back to her cabin, the scent of blood still thick in the air, even if it was slowly going away. That insatiable hunger coated my throat with liquid fire, but I repressed it. I had no desire to bite Daxton. I only wanted Theo. With a heavy breath, I hoped she was okay. I had this urge to see her for myself and make sure she was coping. Cup her warm face in my hands, and brush my fingers against her beauty mark. See a glimpse of her soulfulness shining through rich brown eyes like a smoky nighttime moon. The Pantomath was fresh in my mind. Cutting through the imagery of Theo. I knew we'd see him again. Theo pissed him off too much not to see him again. We only had to get to Sol first. I couldn't help the concern clenching my chest when I thought about Theo. She hid it well, but even I could see she was off-kilter. Shaken. And I felt for her. I made my way down to the Medbay. The doors were already open. Ellie's back was to me as she took inventory of supplies. Her dark hair was pulled back over pointed ears, a lovely blue hue to her skin. I wondered if the oceans on earth were that blue before they ran dry. "Hey, I was told to see you," I said, leaning against the open doors. Ellie jolted in surprise, spinning around and offering me the biggest, most welcoming smile. "Oh, Javier! Yes. Take a seat!" She gestured to the metal examining table. I took in the room. Brightly lit and sterile. I sat down, parting my legs to get comfortable on the cold slab. "The Pantomath drugged me while I was down there," I explained. Ellie made an "O" shape with her mouth, snatching a penlight to flash them over my pupils. "How do you feel right now?" "Feels like it's wearing off," I said. "That's good." She paused. "How's Theo? I know she has a hard time every time she goes down to Zeus 9." I nodded, wondering what was so special about Ellie. Wondered why the Pantomath wanted her so badly. "I have a question for you, Ellie." She drew the light away, using petite hands to move my head from side to side. "I'm an open book. Ask away." "The Pantomath," I started, watching how her petite shoulders stiffened. "Theo had to make a choice down there. You or me." I paused. "I know why he would want me. But why would he want you?" Ellie hummed, a slight tremor appearing in her hands. Fear flared in her eyes only for a moment before it was gone. At that moment, she looked older than twenty-two. Reminding me of how Sol looked days after her mother's wake. "Water nymphs are healers by nature and have universal organs," she started. "Which means they can be used for fae, shifters, humans, even vampires." The silence between us hung thick and heavy. Slowly, my expression contorted into disgust. Rage flared inside of my chest at the thought of the gentle woman in front of me chained to a table, chest gaping open as every little piece of her was stolen from her body. The only thing he'd be unable to profit off would be her soul. Snatched too soon. "He wanted to sell your organs?" I clarified, breath escaping from my lips like steam. If the Pantomath got a hold of Sol, he'd take her apart just the same, dishonoring her spirit as if she was a wrongfully obtained mineral mine. Ellie bit her lower lip, a deep shade of indigo. "There aren't many of me left. The human military did quite a number on my home planet." I was familiar with humankind's endless desire to consume. It led to plenty of political strife in Ilios. Now I understood Theo's stance on the Pantomath. What she meant when she said he also dealt in death. "Theo got me out. I owe her my life," Ellie said simply, with nothing but complete adoration in her tone. "No matter what happens, I know she would have my back." I was starting to get that. A taste of Theo's loyalty. Addicting like the rest of her. Once I got a little hit of her, I only craved her more. I wanted her at my back, her spirit fueling my own. "She's tending to her own wounds in her cabin right now." Ellie didn't seem surprised. "Sometimes she needs to be alone. She's got her own demons." "Demons?" I had only seen a glimpse of the ghosts in her eyes. "Theo is as loyal as they come, but in the throes of war, attachment is not always a good thing. She would deny it, but I've told her that I think her heart is too big," she murmured quietly. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of the passionate woman who kissed me to deceive a crimelord. How tightly she held onto me, burying her cute, upturned nose against my throat while we rode out the rough exit from Zeus 9. While her heart was big, it was hidden beneath layers and layers of pain, concealed by an air of indifference. A complicated woman. But all her pieces started to fit together, a mystery unraveling in front of my eyes. Watching friends die is never something you get used to. It has the power to break you. Makes you wonder if it's worth finding attachment at all. "We've all got our demons, but she's not the only one who has a hard time coping. So does Mads. Sometimes I think they'd be good for each other." I narrowed my eyes, thinking about the tall, lean mechanic who avoided me like the plague. He wasn't an unattractive man, but he was definitely callous and rough around the edges. I couldn't see Theo kissing him as she kissed me. A pang of jealousy speared through me at the hypothetical relationship. My stomach hardening is discomfort. Theo and him? Yeah right. She was too good for him. "The mechanic?" I scoffed, trying not to sound as petty as I felt. Ellie raised an eyebrow at me. "I get that vampires and wolves have some long aggressive history, but Mads is nice when you get to know him." "Somehow, I doubt that," I replied as Ellie prodded the sore syringe mark on my throat. "Yeah, he's not a people person. But he'll grow on you. Mads is a hard person to know, but once you do, he's a great friend." "If you say so. I'd rather not." The first time I had seen him, I thought I would get into it right then and there. Just the sight of a wolf made all my hair stand on edge like an ageless predator's reaction to another apex predator. Any other time I had seen him was in passing. He wouldn't even look at me, just duck back under the doorway to the engine room. I thought he was a dick. "You should join us for game night sometime. I think you'll find us all quite loveable," Ellie teased, her elegant finger coming forward and bopping me on the nose. Her gesture of affection took me off guard, but it wasn't unwanted. I laughed, instantly feeling better. No wonder Theo was so protective of her. I found myself really liking Ellie. "You're convincing me," I teased. "So what do you think? Am I cleared for work?" "It seems to me that your reflexes are coming back. He probably injected you with a deadening serum. Used in cage fights to level the playing field between humans and inhumans. Should wear off." "And if it doesn't?" I asked, slipping off the table. "It will," she replied confidently. I nodded, passing her to the door. "Thanks for the talk, Ellie." She beamed at me, offering me a wave and saying, "Anytime, Javi. Come find me if you need anything." I debated asking her about blood supplements. Her opinion over why they were getting weaker and not lasting as long, but I also didn't want to be considered a flight risk. So, I didn't say anything. As I went to my cabin, I glanced at Theo's room across the hall. I knew I shouldn't check on her, especially when she flares my bloodlust. But I should also thank her. And most of all, I wanted to make sure she was okay. Not suffering in silence because that's how she thought it should be. So, I stepped by her door and tapped the call button.