Beyond the Empyreal Stars

23.

23.

Odette's heart jumped in her throat as the four of them stood by the hatch door. Padric was the one to ask Evangeline to open it, but hesitated when she asked for conformation with the threat just outside.

"I don't care who he was or who he is now," he warned, staring at Odette. "If any one of us is harmed, they're all going down."

"Padric," she whispered. "Open it."

Slowly, the hatch opened up, revealing Duke Mitchell and the group that circled the Acer. Odette had to remind herself to breathe as Padric and Bas walked out first, their hands to their sides. Padric's twitched with all the guns aimed at them. Nova was next, walking slowly up to Bas's side.

The three of them didn't say anything, but Odette knew the looks they must have been giving the group. Even though the humans had come in contact with plenty in the five years, they looked hesitant and even scared of the Terrians in front of them then. But Odette's gaze was only on Duke, who hadn't broken eye contact with her either.

Slowly, she made her way off the Acer, pausing in between Padric and Nova. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she and Duke stared each other down. Unlike before, there was no love and admiration in his gaze, only cold-hearted hatred.

He hated her. That much she could see. As for her, though...she had no doubt he could see the love she had for him.

How could she not still love him when it had only been five days? But for Duke...well, it had been five years. Five years of believing she left him on her own accord. Five years of thinking it was her fault.

Odette took a step forward toward him. "Duke..."

His hand moved to rest on his gun. A human-made gun, not Alliance issued. One with bullets, not energy beams. "Don't come any closer," he commanded.

But she took another step toward him. "Duke, please..."

In a flash, it was in his hand, the safety off, finger poised on the trigger and aimed straight for her head. "Don't come any closer, dammit," he growled. "Don't think I won't put a bullet in your head."

A bullet piercing her forehead, breaking through her skull, burrowing into her brain...

At least if she was dead, she wouldn't have to go through the pain of seeing him looking at her the way he was then. But this was Duke. Even though he threatened, he couldn't do that to her.

Or could he?

She stepped closer so the cool metal of the barrel pressed right between her brows. "Do it then."

Duke's cold gaze faltered, the corner of his mouth twitching.

He dropped the gun to his side, blowing out a breath Odette hadn't noticed he was holding. "Cuff them," he said coolly. "Put them in the truck."

"Duke," a young woman said, stepping forward. She was the one who shot the Acer down. "You can't be serious..."

"I said cuff them and put them in the truck. Bryn..." He looked at the woman who had spoken. "You and Hale take the ship and fly it back to the city. You can reverse the effects of the disabler, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"Go. Now."

The woman and another young man holstered their weapons, passing them in a wide arch.

Odette still didn't back away from Duke...but he didn't move away from her either. He kept his eyes on her as she started hearing handcuffs shackled to the wrists of the others. Someone yanked both arms behind her back and she made a small grunt of pain from the sudden sharp movement. Something other than hatred flashed in Duke's eyes as his jaw clenched.