Crossing Quinn (Coletti Warlords)

by Gail Koger

  A shudder shook me as I remembered that terrible battle. “I was there. They would have killed each other if Detja hadn’t stopped the fight.”

  “Detja and you have a great deal in common.”

  “We’re both troublesome females?”

  I felt the brush of Quinn’s mind like fingertips stroking my skin. “Your loyalty to your family. No matter what happens, you will never abandon them. You will fight to your last breath to protect them. That trait is very important to me.”

  “You say the sweetest things, but the next time I see Dolon, he’s a dead man.”

  Quinn groaned. “Heads up, darlin’. Your mother is about to pay you a visit.”

  “I’m going to need more chocolate.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Mami opened the shower door. “You bonded with that snake?”

  “I did.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing when the water sprayed out, hitting my mother dead in the face.

  “Why would you do something so foolish?” Mami narrowed her eyes as the water continued to bathe her.

  “Originally, I wanted to keep the Tai-Kok from eating me. Once our minds joined, I discovered Quinn is an honorable male who loves his family. His warrior skills are as good as Papa’s, and Quinn will stand by me no matter what fate throws at us.” A smile tugged at my lips. “He’s also a great kisser.”

  Mami shrieked, “You kissed him?”

  “He kissed me, and I really enjoyed it. Another point in his favor: Quinn would give his life for me. Just like Papa would die for you.”

  “He’s sneaky! He shot me with my own tranquilizer dart.”

  “Quinn did what was necessary. He couldn’t concentrate on helping me fight off the Tai-Kok with you screaming like a demented banshee,” I replied patiently.

  Big, fat tears rolled down my mother’s cheeks. “You’re taking his side?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Your father will put a stop to this nonsense,” Mami said stubbornly.

  “Did you forget Papa agreed to bring me to Tanith on my twenty-first birthday to be given to some stranger?”

  “I had hoped they would forget about you.”

  “Forget?” I laughed. “There’s not a chance in the nine hells Zarek would ever forget about my unique abilities, and he now knows I’m a berserker.”

  “Because of Quinn. The snitch.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. Mami had totally ignored the fact that her big mouth was the reason Zarek knew about me in the first place.

  My mother’s appalled gaze settled on something in Quinn’s sleeping quarters. “Why are you and Clio covered in blood and body parts?”

  Blood? I peered around the shower wall. Holy Goddess! Clio and Adan were back from the feeding ground, and their yellow eyes were the only things visible on their gore-draped bodies. “What happened?”

  “It’s been two centuries since I hunted on Piscium. Those furry little creatures I once pursued are now the size of a house and equipped with tusks.”

  “In other words, you had to run for your lives,” I said with a frown.

  Mami tugged on my arm. “What’s he saying? What’s he saying?”

  I told her.

  Mami gasped. “My baby could have been killed. What kind of father are you?”

  “Tell your mother Clio was never in danger. I quickly brought down one of the Gur and let her eat. The little monkey burrowed into the body, and it took me a while to dig her out.”

  I repeated what Adan had said.

  “Never in danger? Ha.” Mami gave Adan the evil eye.

  “Me want. Me want.” Morphing into her toddler form, Clio squirmed out of Adan’s hold and rushed into the shower. “Me like. Me like.” She tried to catch the water with her mouth.

  Adan followed her into the tiny room, squashing me against the wall.

  Bloody pieces of intestine slithered down my leg. Ugh. “Get out! I’m not taking a shower with you.”

  “Very well.” Adan pushed me out of the shower and shut the door.

  Quinn walked in, took one look at my nude body, and stopped dead. “You are so incredibly beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” A blush heated my cheeks as his worshiping gaze roved over my body. Desire welled up inside me. I wanted to see Quinn naked. I wanted to feel his skin against mine. I wanted to see what Mami called the joy arrow.

  Quinn frowned. “Is that an intestine wrapped around your ankle?”

  I immediately kicked it off. The intestine smacked against the wall and slowly slid to the floor. Quinn never even noticed.

  “What are you staring at?” The outraged expression on Mami’s face was comical.

  “Perfection,” Quinn answered.

  I cupped my breasts. “Like what you see?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Quinn’s voice had deepened an octave.

  Mami jumped in front of me. “You will not look at my daughter in such a manner. It is unseemly.”

  With a sigh, Quinn turned around. “Better?”

  “Go. Pilot the ship and continue your search for Lysis.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Quinn walked out.

  Enough was enough. I had found the perfect mate and my mother wasn’t going to mess it up. “I’ve chosen Quinn, Mami. Nothing you say or do will change that. Why can’t you be happy for me?”

  “Do you love him?”

  I chewed my lower lip. “I think so.”

  “You think so? Bah. The minute I met your father I knew he was the one for me.”

  “This is all new to me. I’ve never had a relationship with a male other than Papa. I’m drawn to Quinn. I want, need his touch. He treats me as an equal and is pleased with my warrior skills.”

  “You’re still a child. You have no idea what you need.”

  Sometimes I really wanted to strangle my mother. “I’m not a child. I am a warrior and a relic hunter. I deserve to have a mate I choose, not one forced on me.”

  “Do you think your warlord will allow you to continue being a relic hunter?”

  “I don’t know. It’s something we must discuss.”

  “Talk to Detja before you make your final decision on Quinn. She is a wise female.” Mami held out the control belt to my biosuit. “The self-cleaning function just finished, and I programmed it to respond to your voice until we can get you another communications bracelet.”

  “Thank you, Mami.” I clasped the belt around my waist. “Deploy without helmet.” My biosuit covered me.

  Mami quickly braided my long, wet hair. “You are your father’s child. Fierce, impulsive, and determined to win at all costs. I had hoped you would have some of my better qualities.”

  I smothered a groan. Mami only used guilt trips when she was feeling insecure. “You are one of the most highly respected archaeologists in the galaxy. For a Farin female that is a great accomplishment. I inherited your love of history and your drive to find lost civilizations.”

  Mami beamed and kissed my forehead. “You have blessed my life.”

  The shower door slid open, and a very wet Clio shot out. “Geema. Geema. Me clean. Me clean.” She danced around my mother.

  “Yes, you are.” Mami picked her up. “We need to get you some clothes.”

  Wearing his wizard persona, Adan followed her out. His hair stuck out in every direction, and he was stark-ass naked.

  I eyed his overly large penis. In his dreams. “You forget something, Adan?”

  He looked down, and poof! Clothes materialized over his skinny form. “She’s wearing me out.”

  “Children do that,” Mami responded, raining kisses over a giggling Clio’s face. “Xenia was a menace with her training sword. She even slept with it.”

  “I slept with my sword because our dig site was in the middle of a jungle full of things that wanted to eat you. What are you plans for Clio?”

  “Give her to Detja to raise.” Adan took Clio from my mother.

  I figured he would take the easy way out. “Smart move, but how does Detja
feel about that?”

  “I plan to find out.” Adan walked out of the room.

  That should be an interesting conversation.

  Mami suddenly blurted out, “Why hasn’t Quinn located Lysis yet? This ship has the best tracking scanners in the galaxy, and Quinn’s a powerful psychic. He should have found your father by now. You’re sure Zarek put the claim to Qeeturah in our name?”

  Before Mami could work herself into a frenzy, I quickly replied, “When Zarek says he’s done something, he has. If Papa doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be.”

  “Try to link with your father again.” Persistence was my mother’s middle name.

  Quinn’s mental presence enveloped me. “Deep breath, darlin’. Deep breath, and think of all that chocolate.”

  I reveled in his soothing warm. “You are a keeper, lovey.”

  Mami tapped my arm. “Are you listening to me?”

  “You’re a difficult female to ignore.” Oh Drekk! That had come out a little too snarky. I cringed and waited for the yelling to begin.

  “That’s exactly what your father said to me when I first met him.”

  “Probably because your mother was screaming bloody blue murder,” Quinn inserted.

  I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “Oh. How romantic, Mami.”

  “It was. Lysis was so handsome in his battle armor. He scooped me up and carried me to safety.”

  Quinn interjected, “Probably to keep his own warriors from shooting her and blaming it on the pirates.”

  “Stop. My mother is a sensitive female who is easily frightened.”

  “I disagree. I think she does it to get her way. Most rational folks would do just about anything to get her to shut up,” Quinn commented.

  He had a valid point.

  “Try to link with your father again,” Mami demanded.

  For the twentieth time, I said, “It won’t do any good. Papa still has his shields locked down.”

  “Orbiting Qeeturah,” Quinn advised.

  “I’ll be right there.”

  “Please, you must find him,” Mami pleaded.

  I hugged her. “It’s going to be okay. Have you eaten anything?”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “How about more chocolate?”

  Mami perked up. “Quinn has more?”

  “He does.”

  “I guess he has some good qualities,” Mami said, following me out of the room.

  Chapter Eleven

  I stepped onto the bridge and did a double-take. Qeeturah’s atmosphere was streaked with bands of red and orange. Not good.

  “A major sandstorm is pounding the planet. It’s creating some unusual crosswinds,” Quinn advised, handing my mother several pieces of chocolate.

  I checked the planetary scanners. The winds had reached hurricane force. “The sand will distort Nilus’s scanners and clog his ship’s intake manifolds. He won’t be able to launch until the storm dissipates.”

  Mami snorted. “Nilus is a fool. He won’t let the sandstorm stop him.” She stuffed a piece of candy in her mouth.

  “Before the storm hit, I located Lysis in a cavern beneath the stone city.” Quinn shot a worried look at my mother. “He’s injured.”

  Joy bubbled up in me. Quinn had found Papa. How awesome was that?

  Mami cried, “How badly?”

  “I’m not sure. I can’t get an accurate reading.”

  “Papa’s still alive. That’s all that matters, Mami,” I said firmly, trying not to let my fear show. If his injuries were too severe, we would have to put him in a medically induced coma until we could reach Tanith.

  “Yes. Yes. Of course, he still lives. Lysis is a berserker.” Mami turned on Quinn and snapped, “What are you waiting for? Go get him.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I wanted to go with Quinn, but I couldn’t leave Mami alone. She once tried to fly our ship and clipped an asteroid. Thankfully, there hadn’t been a hull breach. If my mother got worked up enough, she would do anything to get to Papa. “Do you have a med kit, Quinn?”

  Quinn gently brushed his hand over my cheek. “I do. You have my promise that I’ll bring your father back to you.” He touched his communications bracelet, and his battle suit sprouted armor. A helmet formed around his head.

  I asked mentally, “Will it distract you if I link with you?”

  “No. I like having you in my head. Just keep your mother out of the loop.”

  “Not a problem.”

  “The bridge is yours,” Quinn said out loud.

  I nodded. “Be careful. Don’t remove your suit for any reason. I want children.”

  “Me too.” Quinn vanished.

  Mami paced nervously. “Lysis is fine. Lysis is fine. Lysis is fine. Lysis is fine.”

  Through my link, I was with Quinn as he teleported into a cavern covered with glowing blue glyphs. My father’s bloody form was sprawled on the floor. To my relief, Papa’s chest was rising and falling. I knew berserkers were notoriously hard to kill, but we could die.

  Pulling out the med kit, Quinn bent down and ran it over my father. “He has a broken left arm, two broken ribs, a concussion, and badly lacerated scalp. Healing will take fifteen minutes.” Quinn triggered the unit.

  Mami tugged on my arm. “Did Quinn find him?”

  “Yes. He’s healing Papa’s injuries.”

  “Oh, thank the Goddess,” Mami cried.

  The relic hunter in me was awestruck at the glyphs. “We haven’t explored this part of the city yet.”

  “Don’t worry darlin’. I’ll scan the glyphs,” Quinn replied. Holding up his communications bracelet, he mapped the cavern.

  “Don’t forget the one behind that boulder, lovey.”

  “Got it.” Quinn continued his scan. His communications bracelet started beeping. “Lysis should regain consciousness shortly.”

  “If I were you, I would move away from my father. If he is still in his berserker mode, he will attack. At full strength, he is as strong as five males.”

  “Good to know.” Quinn backed away from Papa. “I would hate to have to kill him.”

  Testosterone was the bane of the universe. “You hurt my father, and my mother will try to kill you.”

  “Your itty-bitty mother is not a threat to a trained warrior.”

  I laughed hysterically. “You are too funny. It wouldn’t be a direct attack. My mother is fond of poisons.”

  “Poisons, huh?”

  “Rethinking your decision to claim me as your mate?”

  “Never.”

  My father’s eyes popped open and a black rage filled them.

  “Do not kill my mate, Papa!”

  “Mate?” My father leveled his laser pistol at Quinn’s chest. “You claimed Xenia as your mate without my permission?”

  “You had your shields locked down, and not even Xenia could link with you,” Quinn replied carefully.

  Before it got bloody, I interjected, “Quinn and I have mentally bonded Papa.”

  “Have you had sex with her?” Papa’s eyes began to glow.

  “This discussion can wait until we are back on my ship,” Quinn responded.

  Papa bared his teeth. “Answer the question.”

  “No, I have not. We are waiting until she turns twenty-one.”

  “The mind meld was to save my life,” I hurriedly assured Papa.

  “From what?”

  “Dolon took me to Jandjviles to sell me to the Tai-Kok.”

  “He’s a dead man.”

  Implacable resolve in his voice, Quinn said. “On that we agree.”

  “The only one killing him is me,” I interjected.

  Papa prompted, “How did this mind meld come about?”

  I quickly filled him in.

  “It’s unfortunate Zarek knows you’re a berserker,” was Papa’s only comment.

  “Let Quinn teleport you back to the ship before Mami loses her mind.”

  My father struggled to his feet. “Eleni is unharmed?�
�

  “Your mate has a healthy pair of lungs.”

  “That she does.”

  My psychic senses went on red alert. I groaned as a dozen bristly bushes were suddenly shoved into my head and swirled it around. Something really, really bad was heading our way. “Get back to the ship. Trouble is coming.”

  The command computer mechanical voice stated, “Enemy vessels detected. Shields activated. Bringing weapon systems online.”

  Two Tai-Kok destroyers suddenly popped out of warp drive and went into a high orbit.

  Big trouble. The Talon didn’t have enough firepower to take them out. Running was the only option.

  Mami exclaimed, “Those are Tai-Kok ships!”

  “I know, Mami. I won’t let them eat you.”

  Her eyes rolled back in her head and she hit the floor.

  I sighed.

  “Report,” Papa said sharply.

  I automatically replied, “Two Class Five Tai-Kok destroyers are now orbiting Qeeturah.”

  “How did they find Qeeturah?” Papa let out a low growl. “Dolon.”

  “I’ll drop the shields long enough for you to teleport onboard.”

  “No! Do not lower the shields,” Quinn commanded. “The Class Five Destroyers have been equipped with a new scanner that can pick up energy fluctuations from our cloaking devices. Leave orbit and hide behind the moon. The storm will conceal us for now.”

  “I’m not leaving you behind. Besides, there’s a good possibility the Tai-Kok ships have been infected with Detja’s virus. A couple of well-placed torpedoes should do the job.”

  “And if they are not infected, the Tai-Kok will destroy the ship. I’m not losing you,” Quinn countered.

  My father snapped, “Do as he says, Xenia.”

  The command console beeped a warning. I scowled. “Heads up. The Tai-Kok have transported eight warriors to the surface. They’re wearing level five body armor and are heavily armed.”

  “Our scientists discovered the Tai-Kok warriors’ internal organs react badly to any kind of radiation,” Quinn advised.

  I could feel my father’s pitiless satisfaction as he announced, “During a sandstorm, the subatomic particles are even more deadly.”

  “And don’t forget the var bugs,” I said gleefully. “Mami ran some tests, and the bugs really liked Tai-Kok blood.”