After our arrival, Dr. Helion had led us to a small, private apartment that I had been in too many times before. He kept this place mission ready and free of surveillance equipment. We’d used it before as our base of operations in this far reach of the galaxy. I’d never expected to come here for a mission to rescue my mate. Never.
When we walked inside, the two massive Hyperion hybrids walked around us and took the nearest available chairs. Instinctively my hand tightened on the ion rifle. I knew from experience it would only slow them down, but it would sting like fuck. Piss them off. If they moved one foot in the wrong direction, I’d make them suffer for it.
“Styx. Blade. Thank you for answering my call,” Helion said.
By the gods, Helion had invited them? Called in a favor, or would owe one? What kind of game was he playing with my mate’s life?
I had heard of the legendary leader of Styx Legion on Rogue 5 and his second. They shared a human female mate, as Prillons would. How that had happened, I did not know nor did I care. Their female was not here. Was not in danger. Which meant they were in a far better position than I.
Styx leaned back in his chair, arms crossed like he was king of the station. “Helion. After this, you owe me.” His voice was deep. Serious. This wasn’t a friendly visit.
Helion tipped his chin. “Agreed.”
I didn’t ask. Apparently Dr. Helion was willing to owe these two a favor. They weren’t the only ones. Helion made deals all over the universe. Some with kings. Some with criminals. I had no idea how he kept track of it all.
“Where is the female?” Styx asked.
The female? My beast grumbled low. “My mate’s name is Quinn.”
The other fanged male, Blade, I assumed, inclined his chin just enough to show respect—barely. “Apologies, Warlord. We, too, are mated to a human female. She insisted we help you on this mission. We are on your side.”
“Else she will kick us out of her bed.” Styx’s voice held no humor.
Behind me, Tane laughed, as did one of the Hunters. I glanced behind me at the Hunter, Quinn, who tilted his chin down. “My mate, Vice Admiral Niobe, is part human.” He smiled. “And my name is also Quinn.”
“I know who you are.” I snorted. “You have a female’s name.”
Wisely he did not argue. I turned to face Helion and the two Hyperion males from Styx Legion. “We are wasting time. You said you have Quinn’s coordinates.”
Helion ignored me. “Styx, have your spies confirmed the details of Lukabo’s arrangement with Cerberus?”
Styx nodded. “Yes. The female”—he cleared his throat and started over—“Quinn is worth a fortune. We cannot allow Lukabo to take her off the station. We will have to lure Cerberus to us.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I moved to grab Helion again, fucking done with his games. This time he must have recognized the look in my eyes because he stepped back and held out his hands in front of him.
“Bahre, listen to me. We can’t barge in there and take Lukabo. He took her because of his hatred for you, but there’s more going on here. This is bigger than you and Quinn. Cerberus has tried to kidnap multiple human women. He murdered a matched Trion male and had that male’s human Interstellar Bride kidnapped and taken to the Planet Occeron in Sector Zero.”
“The Omega Dome?” I asked. The shudder that moved through my body was real. The remnants of civilization on the planet Occeron were a scourge. Nothing good happened at Omega Dome. They fought one another for food, weapons, females, and medicine like half-dead animals fighting over rotting scraps.
“Yes. She was not the first human female he has tried to acquire. Cerberus must be stopped. If he does not get Quinn, he will wait for another human female. It must end now.”
Styx nodded in agreement. “When the former leader of Cerberus was eliminated, we expected his second, Jillela, to take over. Instead a Xeriman hybrid challenged and won. The new Cerberus leader is obsessed with finding a human mate. As Helion said, he will not stop. We will have to kill him.”
Fuck. I did not want my mate to be in danger, but Cerberus had kidnapped an Interstellar Bride? The poor female had been taken to Omega Dome? I couldn’t not fathom Quinn in such a place. They were correct, Cerberus must die.
The idea of a human female made a slave was not something we stood for. No male of worth in the Coalition harmed our females, no matter the planet. We may have all been from different planets and races, but it was in our DNA to protect.
But Cerberus? The worst of the worst who safely went about his evil from Rogue 5. The planet no one went to. Even the Intelligence Core steered clear most of the time.
“His attempt to purchase the human at Omega Dome failed, but he has redoubled his efforts. Lukabo took Quinn for Cerberus.”
“Lukabo took Quinn because he seeks revenge against me,” I said. “His family deals in drugs and weapons, not slaves.”
“True. But what better way to hurt you while making a friend in Cerberus?”
What better way, indeed? He would get the vengeance he desired as well as credits and an alliance with Cerberus. I would rip Lukabo’s head from his shoulders for what he has done to my mate.
“We need to get to her before this happens,” I countered.
“I agree. It will be almost impossible to save her once she is on that moon base.”
I clenched my hands into fists, trying
