His Fire Maiden - Michelle M. Pillow Page 0,4

all was not well. Evan did not like using his ability, but would if necessity called for it. Returning a kidnapped princess to angry parents with an army at their fingertips might warrant such a necessity.

Like a child with a new toy, Rick couldn’t seem to help himself. He ran his hand into the apparition’s upper leg. “She feels like air.”

Mei turned at Rick’s words and eyed the situation. She nodded toward the spirit, and quickly introduced, “This is my great-grandmother, Zhang An. She is my ancestor who helps to watch over and guide us,” before continuing her somewhat private conversation with her parents and Jarek.

Rick made a move to touch An again and the spirit silently glided out of his reach. An was clearly aware of what was happening but chose to ignore Rick as she focused on her living relatives. Dev let loose a captured breath as it appeared the crisis might be averted.

Dev shared a quick look with Jackson. The man leaned toward him and whispered, “Should we grab Rick before he does something really foolish?”

“Next time I vote we lock him on board the ship.” Dev studied the locals, trying to judge their temperament. He had a feeling one word from the Emperor would produce a significant number of trained guards. Part of him wanted the fight. It might be a fun challenge. Then again, he wouldn’t want to put the others in harm’s way.

“Mei belongs with the captain,” Jackson whispered. “If they don’t approve, we take her by force. Look at how they act toward her and then watch her expression. She does not belong here. If only we would be so lucky to find—”

“Jackson, you have to feel her,” Rick interrupted softly. He had stepped close to the spirit once more. “I swear, it’s like she’s not even there, but she is.”

Jackson made a move to grab Rick as if he’d forcibly pull him from the room. Dev placed his hand on his arm to stop him. “This is the captain’s future. Let him handle it how he sees fit.” Observing a servant looking into the room from a doorway across the hall, Dev nodded to direct Jackson’s attention to her.

“If Rick’s ass gets thrown into a local prison for feeling up a dead woman, I’m not going after him.” Jackson kept an eye on the servant until she disappeared. Dev knew it was a lie. Jackson would be the first one to volunteer for the mission.

As Mei began to argue about her future happiness with the ancestral spirit and her parents, Dev felt sorry for Jarek. Dev couldn’t imagine having a woman to love. He long ago accepted he was not meant for such things. After years of being ridiculed and feared as a demon, he was used to people trying to attack him without reason or provocation. What sane woman would want a half-breed devil in her bed, let alone in her heart? If the Emperor thought Jarek was unworthy of his daughter, Dev could only imagine what would have happened had a demon stood in the captain’s place.

“She should marry the father of her unborn child,” An declared in support of Mei leaving with Jarek.

That caught Dev’s attention. Mei was pregnant out of wedlock? Her parents didn’t seem too pleased by the news. They stared at the couple in shock. The Emperor looked ready to call his guards.

“Oh, blasted spaceholes,” Jackson swore. His entire body tensed. “Get ready.”

Dev waited, carefully watching the Emperor for a sign of attack.

“Way to go, Cap!” Rick yelled suddenly, breaking the awkward silence as he drew the heated attention toward himself. “You sent off some straight shooters right up the ole—”

“Rick,” Dev growled, unable to take the man’s nonsense a second longer. He grabbed him to shut him up.

“Ow, let go,” Rick demanded. “I didn’t knock her up.”

Dev released him, realizing a second too late that Rick knew exactly what he was doing. The man only acted the way he did to pull negative attention away from the captain and his pregnant lover. In comparison to Rick, Jarek would look like an exceptional choice. Also, if everyone was staring at Rick, the lovers would be able to make a run for it if they so chose.

The ploy worked. An turned on Rick to keep the attention off Mei and Jarek. “You insolent little...”

“Whoa, easy there, ghostly sweetness, you’ll get your chance at me,” Rick said, grinning at the older woman. “No need to call Dev names.”

The