"Thank you, Doc." Sean nodded. "What can you tell us?"

"Not much more than I knew last night, unfortunately. Nate was killed by a single laser blast to the heart." Doc moved around the table, rolling Nate's lifeless body onto his side. "See here? The wound on the back is black, the skin collapsing inward."

"He was shot from behind," Taber said, his voice its normal even treble.

Fallon wrapped her hands around her waist, staring at Nate. "Oh G.o.d."

"He wouldn't have felt a thing, Ms. Reist." Sean moved beside Doc. "Anything else?"

"It looks like someone had gone through his pockets. I couldn't find anything in his clothing, but that doesn't mean there wasn't anything there. I also noticed something odd about the color of his skin."

Sean raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"He had a tan."

"How is that odd?" Sean said, frowning.

"Because," Taber said, taking a step forward. "He's been on a ship in the middle of s.p.a.ce for the past several years."

"And he never used the tanning beds," Fallon added, keeping her gaze off Taber.

"I think it may be related to the cause of death. I'm running an a.n.a.lysis through the computer but it will take several hours, possibly longer to complete."

38.

"Thank you, Doctor. Please inform us when you have the results," Taber nodded and began to leave.

"Where are you going?" Sean called, walking over to him. Once he reached Taber's side, he looked at Fallon and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Are you okay? You're tense, even for you."

"There isn't a problem. I'll be in my quarters. You should take some time to explore the ship. If they feel you are enjoying the amenities rather than investigating the murder, there is a chance we will draw the killer out, possibly attack us instead."

Sean stared hard at him for a few minutes before shaking his head. "G.o.d d.a.m.n you're stubborn. Even for a Briel."

"I don't believe you are one to criticize."

"Maybe not, but I don't have the attention of a beautiful woman either."

Taber knew the second Fallon had started looking at him. The l.u.s.t inside could sense her attentions, craved it. The warrior in him though was in control. He pushed his shoulders back and c.o.c.ked his head to the side.

"You know the males of my people don't engage in casual relationships. We could meet our mates at any time. Now if you'll excuse me." Turning to face Fallon and the doctor, he gave them a little bow. "I'll be in my quarters if you need me."

He walked away, choosing to use the transportation tube at the far end of the corridor.

39.

Chapter Four.

Fallon pounded her fists into the heavy punching bag at the gym, hoping the shooting pain up her arms would distract her from the fact she was beyond h.o.r.n.y. So far, it wasn't helping. d.a.m.n, stupid, arrogant...Taber. Her right hook sent the bag swinging in the air, forcing her to stop and catch it. She'd tried just about every activity available to her at the gym, but nothing was helping. You'd think a couple of hours of exercise would kill her arousal.

"Remind me never to get in a fight with you."

She turned to see Sean standing in the doorway, his hands on his hips. The black shirt had a rounded neckline that showed off the lean muscles of his neck. Sean had pushed his sleeves up and she caught a glimpse of the well-defined muscles there as well. He was obviously a man accustomed to hard work.

"Hi there. I just needed to...vent."

"I see that. Want a hand?"

The last thing she wanted was to talk to anyone about what she was feeling. Then again, this was the one person on board who could give her some insight into the man who was driving her insane. Staring a moment longer at him, Fallon finally let a small smile slip and nodded.

"Sure."

Sean walked around the punching bag, dug his foot into the exercise mat, and braced his body against it. "Let her rip."

Not letting her mind wander to the one topic she wanted to focus on, Fallon let out a yell and pounded her taped fists over and over into the worn bag. After five minutes of unrelenting punches, she finally stopped, collapsing to the gym floor in a heap. Her breath came out in short gasps and her body screamed from overexertion. Sean released the bag and sat down beside her, cross-legged.

"Feel better?"

"Is he always like that? I mean, one minute he's grinding his c.o.c.k against me in the transportation tube and the next he's acting like I don't exist." Fallon turned her head, gasping as she realized what she'd said. "Oh my G.o.d, I'm sorry. You probably didn't want to hear that."

If it hadn't caught her off guard, she would have found the shocked expression on Sean's face hilarious.

"Taber ground...made advances toward you? s.e.xually?"

"Don't sound so surprised," she muttered, looking down at her bare feet. "It just kind of happened."

40.

Sean looked paralyzed for a moment-his eyes wide and his lips clamped shut.

Fallon was about to say something when he shook his head and took a step closer.

"Look, I don't think you realize what this means." Sean ran his hand through his hair. "I've known Taber since he arrived on Eurus. In that whole time I've never seen him show any interest in any woman. Not once. And he'd had plenty of opportunities to do so if he really wanted."

"He told me Briel males wait until they find their mates to have...s.e.x. Has there ever...I mean could a Briel and non Briel be mates?"

Sean looked at her and nodded once before shaking his head. "It's only happened once, and biology had nothing to do with it. Plus this doesn't seem the same. Kamran told me he almost died when he first met Haylie. Something about needing to mate quite quickly after they meet or the male dies."

Taber certainly hadn't looked like he was about to die in the tube. More like his c.o.c.k was going to rip a hole in his pants.

"G.o.d, I wish I knew what the h.e.l.l was going on." She dropped her head to her knees and sighed.

A minute later Sean's hand patted her lightly on her back. "I've given up trying to figure out the Briel."

"Thanks for the heads up."

"Fallon, I don't know what to tell you. Taber is a good man, but I think you should stay away from him. At least until we know what is going on."

Her entire world tilted. Everything she thought she knew about Taber was suddenly called into question by one of his friends. She lifted her face to watch Sean go, more confused than ever. "Thanks, Sean. You're a good man."

Why the h.e.l.l couldn't she hook up with a nice, normal guy like him?

She started as he seemingly read her mind.

"You don't want me. I'm worse than Taber," he said with a smile. "But thanks."

Once he'd left, Fallon felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. She was tired from having worked the double shift, not sleeping when she had a chance, and not being able to follow through on the pent-up desire Taber had dragged out of her in the tube. That coupled with not knowing what the h.e.l.l was going on between them was enough to push her over the edge.

She really needed a shower. Preferably a cold one.

Pulling herself to her feet, she wandered over to the steam shower and stood inside, making sure to spend extra time to wash her hair. The automated switch cut her off from her warm retreat, forcing her to go back out into the real world. She stepped out, dried off and pulled on the clean shirt and opted for her skirt. She began to pull her hair into her standard ponytail when she changed her mind and began to twist it into a braid.

41.

Taber liked her hair. She could tell by the way he stared at it in the tube and back at the bar. She couldn't help but wonder if he liked it up or if he'd want it down. This was stupid! Shaking her head she finished dressing.

Things would be better once they figured out who killed Nate, the bar reopened and Taber left to return to Eurus. She'd fall back into the daily patterns of her life, work, what few friends she had and wait the next three years of her life away.

Returning to the gym, she saw Lukas there lifting at least a hundred and twenty on the bench press.

"Hey. Going light today?" She sauntered over to him as he reseated the weight.

"Doc told me not to push it after I fell last month. You heading out?"

Fallon knew Lukas wanted to f.u.c.k her. He'd been more obvious about his advances than Nate, and she'd considered taking him up on them despite the no fraternizing rule when she'd first come on board. Lukas wasn't really her type though, too much of a hot head who thrived on high emotion to give him satisfaction. Even now, his gaze lingered on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, his lips parted, she knew if she even hinted at her arousal he'd be all over her. She really didn't want to have some shallow f.u.c.k, no matter how h.o.r.n.y she was at the moment.

"Yeah, I'm going to try and get some rest."

"Nate's death got you freaked? I can come keep you company. I have a few ideas on how I can keep your mind off it."

He'd never cared about ship's policies and chased any woman who caught his attention. And as charming as he was, he really couldn't tempt her enough to follow up.

Fallon bent down and kissed his forehead before patting his shoulder. "Thanks, but I'm fine."

"Well you know where to find me if you change your mind."

"Always. See you later."

The path she normally took to her quarters from here wouldn't have brought her anywhere near the high-profile guest section where Taber and Sean had rooms. But if she went two corridors over she could walk right past where they would be sleeping tonight. Knowing Sean wouldn't be there, she couldn't help but wonder if Taber really would hide in his room for the entirety of the investigation. For a professional soldier, he was a coward.

Thankfully, she wasn't.

Sean's words still ringing in her ears, she turned and went in search of Taber. For the second time that day she found herself standing outside his door hitting the door chime. She knew the computer would tell him it was her, so the real test would be to see if he would open up to her. Let her back inside the sanct.i.ty of his room.

When the door opened, she was a little disappointed to see that he was fully clothed this time. After having been pressed against his chest, she really wanted to get another look at the muscular expanse.

42.

"How may I a.s.sist you, Ms. Reist?"

Well, that was a step back, but at least he hadn't ignored her.

"I wanted to see how your investigation is going. Were you going to question Commander Bruce today?"

He kept his eyes high, but she had the impression he was taking in every detail of her body. She didn't squirm, knowing that the shirt she had put on accentuated her body in all the right places. She'd also worn her floor-length skirt, partially because it didn't stick to her skin after her shower but also because she liked the way it hugged her a.s.s.

"We have arranged to talk to him under the supervision of Captain Zane later this afternoon. Sean is investigating other leads at the moment."

"And what are you going to do?" She rose up on her tiptoes and tried to peek around his large frame into the room. "It's past time for midday meal. I can show you a good place to eat if you're hungry."

Taber said nothing, keeping his eyes on her. This is it, time for a desperate move.