Page 90 of Smuggler's Beauty

Evelyn managed a weak smile as she leaned back against his chest. She was worn out from her latest botanical experiment, but she wouldn’t be able to relax until they were all out of danger. The shields were helpful, but they wouldn’t save them entirely. If the Twins’ ship rallied, they’d be playing cat and mouse until theDawnwas battered beyond repair, and a hostile boarding party would be the least of their worries. “I want to see if I can Amplify you enough to shove their ship off course.”

Aiden’s eyes flashed, the grin on his face taking on a salacious edge. “That’s it, dollface. Fight dirty.”

The fluttering in her stomach was entirely inappropriate. She cleared her throat as she clenched her thighs together. “Do you want to try?”

“I’m game. It’s a long shot, but Cairn could use the help if we can manage it.” Aiden checked the feasibility of their plan with the pilot.

“Aye, getting them off our ass will make the jump easier,” Cairn said.

Evelyn nodded toward the view screen. “You want to see it?”

Aiden took her hand and guided her to get a better view. The Twins’ ship was creeping closer, dodging Veselko’s blasts but making steady progress.

“Ready?” Evelyn asked. Aiden nodded. She laced her fingers through his and closed her eyes, crossing to the energy tank and opening the tap. Golden energy flowed from it, forming a puddle at her feet. She focused on the flow and sent it into Aiden, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as the energy connection went live. Evelyn felt him shudder as it entered his body.

The power continued to flow out of the tank, puddling at her feet. She should have stopped the tap, slowed the flow. She’d never attempted to boost someone so much before, but these were dire circumstances. Conventional wisdom said to stop Amplifying before your knees went weak, lest you be out of commission for future opportunities of service.

This advice hadn’t taken into account the Amplifier fleeing for their lives in deep space.

Out of commission for a few days is better than dead.

So Evelyn continued to send the power into Aiden, boosting his telekinesis.

“Fuck,” she heard him whisper. “This just might work.”

Evelyn opened her eyes. It took everything in her not to sag against Aiden’s body. She looked up at him to see every hairon his body standing at attention, like he’d been the one with a finger in the charging port. Blood was dripping out of his ear, and she feared that she might have fried his senses with an overload of energy. She shifted her vision and saw the golden glow of Amplification filling his frame. He seemed as stable as ever.

“Use it. Quickly,” she whispered.

His eyes were slits, focused on the Twins’ vessel as it bobbed toward them. He reached out with the hand that wasn’t holding onto her own and made a flicking motion with his finger. The force of the motion sent them both careening to the ground. Aiden just managed to shift their bodies to prevent Evelyn’s head cracking into the floor. From the grunt he made, she doubted he was as successful at avoiding impact with his own.

On the view screen, the Twins’ ship jerked off course. It spun in circles, making two full revolutions before the ship corrected itself out of their path, flying through the stars in the opposite direction. Evelyn sighed in relief. Her eyes fluttered shut, and the last thing she heard before she passed out was Cairn’s whoop of delight as he punched in the jump coordinates.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Fucking ow.

Aiden’s head throbbed. He felt Evelyn slump against him as the Twins swirled off course. For the first time since their ship popped up on the view screen, he allowed himself to panic. If she hurt herself saving theDawn, he’d never forgive Pearl and Ivan. He gently rolled her body off of his before levering himself into a seated position. The side of his neck was wet with blood, and he swiped his shoulder against the drip. Slowly he got upright, lifted Evelyn into his arms, and carried her to the row of seats Mathias had remained perched on during the entirety of the encounter.

“Jump imminent in three, two, one. Jumping.”

The ship reappeared in a sector in the opposite spiral arm of the galaxy. Aiden felt his ears pop as he set Evelyn down across the seats and more blood gushed down his neck. He smoothed her hair back from her face. She was drenched in perspiration, sweat curling the waves closest to her face into near ringlets.

Mathias reached his fingers over to take her pulse at her neck, and Aiden slapped the man’s hand out of the way before he realized he was doing it. He winced. “Sorry.”

Mathias snorted and shoved the offending hand into his pocket. “I take it I’m not getting back to my rendezvous point on time?”

“Can’t be helped, mate,” Cairn said as he studied a star chart. “There’s a nearby spaceport we can refuel and repair any minor damage at a few hours away.”

“I can message Corvinia. She’ll take care of it,” he said as he pulled his communicator from his pocket.

Veronique had dug out a first-aid kit from the center console and had found a scanner in the oft forgotten box. She turned it on and waved it over Evelyn. It beeped in a steady, reassuring manner as it took in her state. Elenor handed him a wad of gauze to press against his ear. Aiden took it and slammed it against his head.

“Seems fine. I imagine she’s just exhausted,” Veronique said, looking at Mathias for confirmation.

“She needs a nap and a meal. If you have any nutrient gel you could work into her mouth, that would probably jumpstart the regenerative effects of sleep.”

Veronique turned back to the kit to search for gel, and Aiden let out the breath he’d been holding. Evelyn would be fine. He made a mental note to stock nutrient gel in every room on the ship Evelyn might push herself too hard in while she practiced. The least they could do was keep her body fueled.