Free Born of Betrayal by Sherrilyn Kenyon

hated those memories that tortured him worse than anything.
    As Fain headed for his pilot’s chair, one of the Andarions they’d brought with them came to the flight deck to speak in a whisper to Talyn. A few inches shorter than them, he appeared around Talyn’s age and had the bearing of someone bred from one of the highest-caste bloodlines. His immaculate battlesuit bore the military badges of a decorated major, but didn’t list his name, which also said he ranked high enough that it was omitted for safety reasons.
    Listening intently to the major, Talyn stroked his goatee with his thumb. “What do you want to do?” he asked in Andarion.
    The major scoffed in a most undisciplined way. “Like you have to ask?”
    Fain arched a brow at the disrespectful tone Talyn took in stride.
    With a similar snort, Talyn pushed the major back like Fain used to do to Dancer when they were kids and Dancer irritated him. “I’ll deal with your paka. Go hug a seat.”
    The major struck his heart with his fist, then opened his hand in a gesture of brotherhood and devotion before he headed to the back to fasten in with the others.
    Fain passed a curious stare to Galene.
    â€œHe’s Talyn’s adjutant.”
    That only confused him more. “And the two of you allow him to talk to his CO like that?”
    Neither of them answered his question.
    Fine. Whatever. The Andarion armada was a hell of a lot more lax now than it’d been when Fain was in it. His former CO would have had him court-martialed for such a thing.
    Or splintered against the nearest wall.
    Trying not to let it bother him, he went to his seat.
    Dressed in the red and white battlesuit that marked the Porturnum Tavali, Captain Kareem Venik got up from the con. He saluted Fain as he surrendered the ship’s controls. “Returning the lady to her owner, Commander Hauk. Preflight’s complete. The Storm Dancer ’s all ready for your loving touch.”
    Fain cringed as Kareem spoke the ship’s name out of formal Tavali tradition. “Thanks, Captain Venik.”
    He inclined his head to Fain and moved to take the gunner’s chair.
    Galene scowled at Fain as she heard those words. “This is your ship?”
    Logging into the controls and firing the engines, Fain nodded.
    â€œ Storm Dancer? ”
    While he fastened himself in, Fain let out a tired breath at her tone. He brought up the launch sequence and made sure he quelled the AI for the trip. “I’d lie and say I named her for my brother, but you’d know better.” Storm Dancer and Stormy were the nicknames he’d teased Galene with when they were kids. For some reason, she’d loved to run through the rain, and laugh and dance while it soaked her to the bone. Her parents had thought her insane.
    He’d always found it fascinating and adorable. And had often chased after her through the rain until he was as wet as she was. It’d been just such a chase that had led to her stripping his clothes from him on his birthday.…
    And to the conception of Talyn.
    Gods, to have that innocence and joy again. He could still feel her bashful hands on his bare skin while she explored every inch of his bare body with her inquisitive touch. Hear her laughter in his ears as he tasted her and she whispered to him how much she loved him.
    That memory punched like a fist to the stones.
    Refusing to look at her and see the hatred that was there for him now, he forced himself to put the past out of his thoughts. “As soon as everyone’s secure, we’ll launch.”
    Galene clicked her harness into place while she glanced around the ship, impressed with the quality and beauty of the metal beast he’d named after her.
    But why? It made no sense that he would do that after he’d abandoned her and everything else he’d ever known. She couldn’t understand what had possessed him. Yes, they’d been