DIVISION 52 - BOOK II

CHAPTER XXIX

"When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid." 

― Audre Lorde

S C O R P I O N 

I offered her a dramatic bow when her fusion craft landed inside the bay again. The most amusing part was the pair of recruits stood on either side of Makayla. One I knew as Lee but the other was a mystery to me.

She strode forward with the confidence of royalty and didn't hesitate to take the side of my face with her hand.

"I think I'd like to go find that dress now."

I glanced over her shoulder and saw the men with fists on their chests and disbelief in one of their eyes. "Who's the meat with blonde hair?" I drawled.

"A friend." She said innocently. "Oh and put him on Proximo's personal guard programme please."

I sighed through my nose and met those blue eyes. "Making promises are we?"

"He was very helpful today."

I eyed him again a bit more intently and he dropped his eyes from me. A strong build, an attractive male... And a dead one if his idea of friendship got too creative.

"Fine. But it's not my fault if he gets broken." I quipped, turning for my luxury fusion craft.

I heard him release a breath once my attention was away.

She chuckled and kept up with my walk as we left the amateurs behind us. An engineer dropped me a curt bow before prepping the craft and flagging a driver. "Will you require your personal guard, Scorpion?"

I gave him a slow smile as I thought it over.

"No. My enemies are mostly dead now."

He swallowed and kept his eyes on the launch panel. "Very good, commander."

"Stop scaring everyone." Makayla muttered, jumping in ahead of me. I grinned at her back and followed quickly behind in a trademark red cloak. The engines hummed around us as I went for the glasses and offered her one as she sat back in the plush seats.

"Non-alcoholic." She ordered.

"So a virgin cocktail?" I drawled.

She gave me a wordless glare. 

"Two virgins it is!" I answered, throwing ice into the tumblers.

"I'm shocked you even know what the word means." She muttered.

I fought a smile and lost as I filled them and the craft rose. I turned and offered her one before leaning back and letting my arm hang across the back of her chair. A small smile tugged her lip as she sipped it.

"It's good."

"Virgins do taste good–"

"Okay enough!" She shoved me a foot away from her and I chuckled into my glass. I briefly readjusted the pistols inside my cloak and relaxed again. There wasn't a chance in hell someone would catch me off guard again with her.

"How much did Proximo tell you?" I asked, throwing back the rest of the sweet drink.

Makayla crunched a cube of ice in her teeth making me focus on her mouth a moment.