Operation: Marauder

Chapter 15

Rowan glanced over his shoulder one more time before boarding the Marauder with the rest of his men. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. It usually came around when trouble was on the horizon and he didn't want that trouble to find Zoey. Somehow, he had managed to keep his distance from her, resisting the burn ripping him apart. Only just, though. He had found himself wandering the halls late at night with no destination in mind, he just needed to be alone--as alone as he could be on a military base, anyway. Yet he still managed to find himself outside of Jack's door and sometimes the hangar, though he didn't know why he would go there. He supposed Zoey's scent still lingered from when she had first arrived. Even now, as he threw his bag over his cot in the Captain's Quarters, he could smell the intoxicating bouquet of lilac from her yard with a hint of automotive from the garage she worked in. It was enough to elicit an erection.

Growling, wishing for the last four days of his Fever to be done with already, he promised himself to take care of it later. For now, he had to focus on the mission: mine some Terbium from XMS-332, a planet two days out from Earth, so they could fix the sensors--and maybe even take a little more to fix the hyperdrive--then find the Wraythe.

Cas was outside his door as he stepped out; he clapped his back with a sympathetic smile. "Need anything, boss?"

Zoey was the first thing that came to mind, her soft skin, her smooth hair, her delectable scent. He could only imagine how her lips would feel against his, how warm she would be around his cock.

His erection throbbed painfully.

"Fuck. A few days off this planet is exactly what I need." No females to torment him. He could power through it as long as he didn't see a pair of breasts or a squeezable ass.

Cas patted his back. "Let's get settled, then, so we can leave."

Nodding, Rowan followed him to the main deck where Knox, Jack, and Maliki were already strapped in. Rowan peered up to the cockpit, half-expecting Mave to complain about not having a co-pilot to help with the launch sequence and trying to guilt one of them into doing it.

"Preflight check complete, Captain," Mave called over the speaker. "We are ready on your order."

"Let's go, Mave." Rowan couldn't wait to get off this fucking planet. Even if it was only for a few days.

The humans had granted them a five day leave, as long as Jack went with them and documented everything. He had several scientists swarming him the past couple days, asking him to collect samples from SMX-332, showing him how to collect said samples without compromising them, and to take pictures. Of everything. Rowan almost felt sorry for him, except he was sure that if it hadn't been for the scientists constantly harassing Colonel Shaw, they wouldn't have been allowed to leave in the first place.

Jack watched the ramp close mournfully.

Knox bumped his knee with a grin. "She'll be okay, buddy."

"I know, it's just. . . I didn't get to say goodbye. I always tell Zoey I'm going off grid for a few days, but she wasn't in my room when I went to tell her. I don't want her to worry."

Knox snorted. "I think she'll be more pissed than worried. Here you are, going into space, actually allowed to leave the base, and she's holed up in your room with no one but Timber to keep her company." He made it sound like Timber would also be the one to entertain her, and the irrational, Fever-driven part of Rowan wanted to stop Mave from taking off so he could tear Timber's head off real quick.

Jack laughed. "I feel bad for him. Hopefully she doesn't put him through too much shit."

On the other hand, Rowan hoped she pulled the man down to the Underground, Arthonian's version of Hell, and back. He smiled at the thought. It almost made being apart from her worth it. Except nothing but avoiding being the cause of her pain in the future was.