But Maris did.
He sighed regrettably at the only other people in the universe who loved Darling as much as he did. “I’ve seen him bad off before, but never have I seen him like this. He has absolutely snapped. He’s gunning for any and everyone. I’m an idiot for being here.”
Nykyrian’s features sharpened. “Do we need to evac you?”
Maris shook his head. “No. Darling’s in consummate turmoil and agony, and like Cai said, I’m the only one he’ll let in a room with him right now. If I have to die for his friendship, so be it. I won’t leave him alone when he’s hurting this much.”
But it broke his heart to see Darling like this. Darling had always been so strong, so resolute. Maris wasn’t used to being the strength in their friendship. He was used to being able to lean on Darling.
How do I reach him before it’s too late?
Maris frowned as an idea came to him. “Nykyrian… when we rescued him, you said that you’d been where he is. What saved you from your madness?”
“My wife.”
“Excuse me?” Syn asked in a highly offended tone. “I think I was there for you a little longer than she was, by a couple of decades as I recall. No offense.”
Nykyrian rolled his eyes. “Syn helped, too.”
Syn snorted at that. “ ‘Helped’ my ass, you psycho son of a bitch. How many times have I been shot protecting your hulking ass? Yeah, I’m going to remember this the next time you’re in the dog house ’cause you left a sock on the floor or didn’t lower the seat, or an assassin comes at your back.”
Nykyrian gave him a feral grimace. But when he spoke, his soft, lilting tone belied his fierce expression. “Syn… what can I say? I love you, man. I can’t live without you. You are the air I breathe.”
Syn scooted his chair farther away. “Man, don’t say shit like that. Other people are listening.”
Jayne handed Syn a small pill container.
Syn frowned at it. “What’s this?”
“My period medication. I think you could use some.”
Hauk, Nero, and Caillen burst out laughing.
Grimacing, Syn gave it back to her, then glared at the three men who were still cracked up. “I hate you people.”
“I’m not people,” Hauk reminded him. “I only eat them.”
Ignoring them, Nykyrian returned his attention to Maris. “All idiocy aside, I was never as far gone as Darling is right now. I always had control of myself. As badly as I wanted to, I never gave in to my need for human extermination. Aside from, you know, assassination contracts. But that was business and not pleasure.”
Caillen nodded as he sobered. “Which is why we think you’re the only hope he has. He loves you, Maris. He always has. Can’t you seduce him or something? Give him one really good, mood-altering lay or blow, and make him see reason?”
Hauk scoffed at Caillen. “Sex isn’t always the answer, you know.”
“Bullshit,” Caillen said with a laugh. “You obviously ain’t never had a really good lay or you’d know better. Nothing clears the head faster or changes a man’s direction about where he wants to stay.”
Syn concurred. “I’m siding with Caillen on this one.”
“Me, too,” Jayne said.
Nero nodded. “Add me to that list.”
Hauk rolled his eyes. “You’re all morons.” He looked at Nykyrian. “You’re with me on this one, aren’t you, Nyk?”
“No. I’m definitely with them. There’s no one in this universe who can defeat or weaken me. But Kiara can bring me to my knees with one single pout, and when she takes me into the bedroom, nothing can pull me back out. I have absolutely no will where she’s concerned, other than to make her deliriously happy.”
“Well, that explains all the kids,” Hauk said under his breath. “Since I’ve obviously been doing something wrong—”
“Yeah,” Jayne raked him with a sneer, “lay off the cheap ’hos, and try finding a decent woman for once.”
Hauk started to respond, then he must have realized he was about to bring a knife to a blaster fight. “Fine. Maris, can you seduce him?”
That might work if Darling were gay. But…
It did get him thinking.
“Give me a couple of days to work on something, okay?” Maris cut the transmission as he drummed his fingers against his thigh while he thought through the one thing that might save Darling’s soul.
Zarya was the only woman Darling had ever loved. Before all of this had blown up, he’d been willing to die for her. To risk everything he had, even his beloved family, to claim her as his wife.
“Jayne, I couldn’t care less what you do with her so long as I don’t ever have to see her face again.”
That had been a harsh sentence Darling had handed down, but Zarya was the only member of the Resistance Darling had spared from death. He had torn the rest of them apart as soon as he located them.
Was it possible that Darling might still love her?
C’mon, Mari… he’s in enough pain. The last thing you want to do is add to it.