Interludes VI

Bone-white fingers laced through Sharris's red hair, yanking her forward. Lips pressed to lips, and Sharris obligingly tipped her head to deepen the contact. Her arms wrapped around her husband's shoulders before dropping to squeeze his buttocks.

"Mmm, Falcon." She broke away with a murmur and grin. "You missed me?"

"Always," he said and stole her breath again.

"Ahem." The other redhead stopped behind the duo.

"Why don't we go to our room and—"

"Katchin?" The other redhead rested her hand idly on the basket-hilt of her sword.

Sharris extricated herself from Falcon's lip-lock with a muffled curse.

"Captain Kitana?" She wiped her mouth and turned around, only to be yanked back against her husband's chest as he glared over her shoulder. "Is something wrong?"

"Your end-of-shift report didn't come through." The captain smirked at Falcon's possessive grip.

"Zaebi." Sharris combed her fingers through her tangled hair. "Mikhail really did it this time. I thought the comms were back online?"

"I sent you a ping twice." Kitana arched a brow at Falcon's continued glower. "Trying not to interrupt, of course."

"Nothing came through." Sharris tapped her wristband, turning her head away as Falcon nibbled her neck. "Stop it!" she hissed, then continued normally. "Has Kit looked at it? She can usually sort out Mikhail's technical disfunction."

"No one's seen her." Kitana's booted foot tapped impatiently. "Is Jack back yet?"

"Not that I've heard," Sharris said and glanced over her shoulder. "You?"

"That bastard's been gone for three days now." Falcon's eyes narrowed when Sharris elbowed him. "None of our patrols have seen him, either."

"Not that we patrol too heavily here in Eritrea." Kitana frowned. "Anything to report other than the com issues?"

Sharris hesitated, leaning her head back against Falcon with a sigh. Kitana arched a brow and waited.

"It's Kit. No one I've talked to has seen her today, and she was acting weird, even for her." She shook her head. "Maybe she's just stressed about Jack, but…"

"Are you overreacting because you can't read her like everyone else?" Kitana asked.

"I… Maybe?" Sharris sighed. "I don't think she sleeps when Jack's not here."

"That's likely it then." Kitana smiled and took a step away. "I bet she's curled up asleep somewhere. If there's nothing else—"

"Kit's not the problem," Falcon said. "That bastard's the problem."

Kitana rubbed her forehead, and Sharris pinched Falcon's arm where it lay beneath her breasts.

"Hush. You know that upsets Kit."

"She'll get over it. Faster if you let me add him to my collection." Falcon flipped one of his blond braids over Sharris's shoulder, displaying the polished bones woven into the hair.

"Right." Kitana rolled her neck. "Since you're not technically under my command, I believe this is my cue to exit." She nodded to Sharris. "Good luck."