Page 3 of Zayrik

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One problem.

I was losing too much blood.

The edges of my vision blurred as I collapsed into the pilot’s seat. Focus.Override the system. Get the engines running. Get the hell out.

My fingers tapped at the controls, but not steady enough.Navigation systems locked. Access denied.I groaned, slumping back. Of course, it was locked. The universe hated me.

“Nav? Override the damn system.”

“Hmm. Let’s see. Accessing... Oh, look at that. Locked by primary user authorization. What a shock. It’s almost as if you don’t own this ship.”

“I hate you.”

“Noted. Accessing...”

“If I can just get the engines running and get us out the doors before...”

I slid into the pilot’s seat, fingers flying across the panel. For one flickering second, everything responded. Lights blinked to life, systems began to hum.

Maybe—just maybe—I could do this.

Footsteps echoed from the ramp.

My pulse slammed into my ribs.

Someone was coming.

Shit.

I grabbed my blaster, forcing myself to stand. My knees buckled, the world tilted, and I barely managed to stay upright.

Not now.

A shadow loomed at the entrance. Tall. Broad. Not one of Vask’s men. The ship’s owner.

Double shit.

He stepped into view, backlit by the station lights. Alaran. His turquoise skin was a giveaway. Tall as hell. Strong build. Dark hair. Midnight blue eyes.

I lifted my blaster. “Turn around and walk away.”

He arched a brow. “You do realize you’re on my ship?”

I tightened my grip, ignoring the way my fingers trembled. “Last warning.”

His gaze flicked to the blaster. Then to my bleeding side. Then back to my face.

“You planning to pass out before or after you steal the ship?”

Annoying. He was annoyingly calm.

Then, to make things worse my fingers trembled, then slipped. The blaster clattered onto the metal floor. The world spun. The floor tilted up to meet me as I collapsed.

And the last thing I saw before darkness took me was a pair of powerful arms reaching for me.

And Zep launching at the guy’s face.

“Oh, wonderful,” Nav muttered as my vision blacked out. “This should go well.”

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