by Anna Hackett
“Any more evidence at the latest murder scene?” Galen asked quietly.
A muscle ticked in Rillian’s jaw. “No. But the Thraxians have signed their death warrants.”
He kept watching Dayna. She and Mia stood with their arms around each other. He would protect her.
The only way to do that was to find Zaabha and ensure its destruction.
Chapter Eleven
“God, tell me that man burns up the sheets,” Rory said.
Dayna choked on her drink. “I’m not telling you anything.”
Mia grinned. “These alien men sure know how to make a woman feel good.” Her gaze moved straight to Vek. He was staring at Mia intently.
“You’re truly happy?” Dayna asked.
They’d been through so much together, walked through the darkest of times. Mia had held Dayna’s hand during the worst of their captivity.
Mia grabbed her hand again now. “Yes. So happy. Vek’s protective to the point of driving me crazy, but he’s mine. He loves me and I love him.”
“And Winter?” Dayna scanned the room and found the dark-haired woman, looking like she was mid-argument with her gladiator.
“She loves keeping her gladiator on his toes, and she loves working in Medical. Galen’s purchased a bunch of different stuff for her. She’s ecstatically happy.”
Dayna let her gaze drift over the group of women from Earth. They were all stunning in their glittering dresses, and each one was laughing and smiling. Their overprotective gladiators stood close by, always within reach. The women were making lives here. Good ones.
“I’ll always miss Earth,” Mia said, as though she could read Dayna’s mind. “But it’s a bittersweet sting now. That said, I will always miss coffee. The stuff they have here isn’t the same.”
Dayna pulled her friend in for a hug.
Then Mia’s face turned serious as she studied Dayna’s features. “There is something going on between you and Rillian, isn’t there?”
“We’re still working it out,” Dayna said.
“He’s not just a suave, charming businessman,” Mia said.
Dayna was fully aware that Mia hadn’t actually asked a question. “No, he’s not.”
“I can tell he’s…powerful,” Mia added.
And dangerous. Dayna found him unerringly, standing in the crowd talking easily with the imperators. She licked her lips. “I like it. I like him.”
“I want to ask more about how you’re adjusting,” Mia said awkwardly. “I’m just not sure how.”
Dayna knew instantly what Mia was worried about. She gripped her friend’s shoulder. “I’m adjusting to the symbiont. I haven’t fully accepted it yet, but I’m working on it. And Rillian’s helping me.”
As if summoned by her thoughts, Rillian appeared beside her. He touched a hand to Dayna’s lower back and an electric sensation skated through her.
“Mia, the stage is all yours,” he drawled.
“Oh, God.” Mia ran her hand down her pretty blue dress. It shimmered under the lights. “Right. Well. This is it.”
“Knock them dead,” Dayna said.
Mia turned and gave Vek a quick kiss. The blue-skinned alien watched his mate intently as she took the few steps up to the stage.
“Hi, everyone, I’m Mia,” she murmured.
There was no visible microphone, but Rillian had explained that they had amplification devices focused on a certain spot on stage to magnify the sound of Mia’s voice.
Mia swallowed and shot everyone a smile. “I’m going to sing for you.” She glanced once more at her mate before she launched into a song.
The entire room went silent, watching, entranced, as Mia sang. Her gorgeous voice rose and soared, filling the space.
“She’s amazing.” Dayna turned her head and watched Vek. The alien man’s rugged face was transfixed.
Rillian slid an arm around Dayna, and together, they listened to Mia’s song of desire, want, need, and love.
Hot lips brushed Dayna’s ear. “Later, you’re mine.”
Dayna shivered. There was sultry promise in his voice.
Mia sang another two songs. When she finished, she was mobbed by people wanting to talk with her.
“I need to check in with the staff,” Rillian said, squeezing Dayna’s arm.
She shook her head. “Go do your ‘I’m Boss of the Planet’ thing.”
His eyes narrowed. “Later, I’ll show you who’s boss.”
She pressed her tongue to her bottom lip. “Promise?”
Rillian’s gaze flashed silver, locked on her mouth. “Behave.” He turned, the crowd parting for him.
Dayna looked back at Mia and smiled. Vek was standing right behind her, scowling at anyone who got too close. Dayna circled the edge of the crowd, waiting for her chance to congratulate Mia. The woman had hummed a lot during their captivity, but none of them had any reason to sing. Dayna had never guessed Mia had the voice of an angel.
“Excuse me, Dayna Caplan?”
Turning, she saw one of the black-clad servers standing nearby.
“Yes?”
“I have a message for you from Tannon,” the man said.
Dayna tilted her head, wondering what was wrong. “What is it?”
“He requested your help at the security office. He was hoping you could assist him, as he didn’t want to interrupt Rillian during the party.”
Dayna smiled. She was finally breaking through and gaining Tannon’s trust. She glanced over at Rillian. He was talking with Galen and Magnus again. He smiled, looking the most relaxed she’d seen him in a while.
This was one small thing she could take care of for him. She nodded at the server. “Thank you.”
As she headed out, a slim hand grabbed her arm. She turned to see Winter.
“Hey, having a good time?”
Winter nodded and smiled. “I am. Nero hates these things.” The brunette’s smile widened. “I promised him extravagant sexual favors afterward.”
Dayna snorted. Again, she saw a wealth of love in her friend’s eyes. God, it healed something inside her to know that these two women who’d become so important to her were so happy.
“I need to help Rillian’s head of security with something, but I’ll be back shortly.”
Winter nodded. “I’ll have a drink ready for you. Don’t be too long, or I’m guessing a sexy casino owner will come and find you.”
Dayna was smiling as she headed out of the party. She moved toward the elevators, her high-heeled shoes clicking on the floor.
She’d find out what Tannon needed, then come back and dance with her friends, and then after the party…she shivered. Thinking about later tonight made her skin flush hot. She couldn’t wait to tear that tailored suit off Rillian.
She was going to do delicious things to that man.
Dayna entered the elevator and touched the screen, keying in the floor for the security office. The car shot downward smoothly, and she watched the alien text on the panel change. She made a mental note to get Rillian to teach her the local written language. It could come in useful. Hopefully, there was some sort of simulation or implant that would speed up the process.
All of a sudden, the elevator jerked to a violent stop, with a horrible metallic screech. Dayna threw her hands out, barely stopping herself from falling to the floor.
The lights flickered, then went out, plunging her into darkness. She pressed a hand to a wall. What the hell?
Suddenly, red emergency lighting flooded the car.
Shit. This was all she needed. Still, she was sure the security room would see something had malfunctioned.
Then she heard a hissing sound.
Turning, she saw a strange-looking, purple gas flowing up through the cracks in the floor of the elevator.
Ah, that can’t be good.
Rillian felt an unsettled sensation coming from his symbiont.
He frowned at the unfamiliar feeling. He scanned the crowd, searching for a certain brunette. Where wa
s she? His shoulders tightened.
He looked at Galen. “Have you seen Dayna?”
“Not for a while.” As the imperator frowned, it tugged at the scar on his face. “Is something wrong?”
Rillian scanned the room again. “I’m not sure.”
Spotting several of the Earth women nearby, he headed toward them. “Has anyone seen Dayna?”
Winter inclined her head. “I saw her before. She got a message from the head of your security team, and she went to take care of something.”
Rillian stiffened. He hadn’t received any message. He turned away, lifting his communicator. “Tannon, is Dayna with you?”
“No.”
“Did you contact her?”
“No.”
Rillian’s uneasiness turned to full-blown fear. “Find her.”
The noise of the security room came across the line. “I’m searching for her now.”
Rillian was already striding across the party room, headed for the door. He wasn’t surprised when Galen and Magnus flanked him.
“Trouble?” Magnus drawled, voice cool.
“Maybe.” Rillian’s symbiont was writhing now, sending panic through his veins. He never panicked.
“Rillian,” Tannon said. “An elevator on the northern bank is stuck. It’s showing a malfunction.”
Adjusting his stride, Rillian aimed for the elevators. “Which one?”
“B13.”
Rillian stopped in front of the sleek doors to elevator B13. He reached out and pressed the controls, but nothing happened.
“Sir?” The urgent tone of Tannon’s voice made Rillian’s blood run cold. “Scanners are showing Zavir in the elevator car!”
Rillian’s gut cramped, and he heard Galen curse under his breath. Zavir was a deadly, poisonous gas.
Gripping the groove between the closed doors, he shoved to pry them open. But they only budged a fraction.
He had to get to Dayna. Pulling on his symbiont for more strength, Rillian shoved the doors open with a groan of metal. He looked down into the shaft. The car was too far below for him to even see it.
He shifted, moving one foot over the drop.
“Rillian—” Galen stepped closer.
Rillian didn’t hesitate. He stepped out into the elevator shaft. His body dropped downward like a projectile.
Air rushed at him and then he saw the car appear below. He bent his legs, preparing to land.
Thump. He landed hard with a bend of his knees, his symbiont absorbing most of the impact. The metal dented beneath his feet.
Thump. Galen landed beside him in a crouch. Thump. Magnus landed across from them, denting the roof of the car even more.
Rillian’s senses picked up a sickly-sweet trace of the Zavir gas.
There was no sound.
Agony ripped through him. The gas was messing with his abilities, but he couldn’t sense Dayna’s energy, couldn’t hear a sound from inside.
Imagining her lifeless body tore him up. He’d been fighting his growing feelings for her the moment he first saw her open her eyes.
Then he heard something. A muffled thumping coming from inside the car.
Like someone was hammering on the ceiling beneath his feet.
Fear and desperation fueling him, Rillian dropped to his knees. He tore at the metal panels. He wrenched one off and tossed it into the shaft. He pulled strength from his symbiont, tearing more panels off. Galen and Magnus helped.
He couldn’t lose her. He wouldn’t lose her.
Then he saw the sheet of thick, reinforced metal that lay beneath the surface panels. Drak. This was taking too long.
“Watch out.” Magnus’ cool voice. The cyborg raised his synthetic arm, curling his fingers into a fist. As soon as Rillian and Galen leaned back, Magnus slammed down, punching through the metal.
Rillian instantly grabbed the ruined panels, ripping them open more.
Instantly, he saw Dayna’s sweat-slicked face. She had her legs pressed to the walls, holding herself above the dense cloud of thickening gas.
She was alive.
He grabbed her hand and yanked her up through the hole.
Drak. Drak. Drak. His heart was pounding hard. He pulled her to his chest.
“God, I thought I was dead.” Her hands twisted in his shirt.
Rillian tightened his arms around her. Below, he could see the gas billowing in the elevator car.
“It needs to be contained before it escapes,” Galen said.
Rillian nodded and pulled out his communicator. “Tannon, I’ve got Dayna. But we have an elevator car filled with Zavir.”
“I’m on my way with a containment team.”
Rillian looked up and saw they were close to the doors to one of the floors. He rattled off the number.
Magnus leaped across the gap, gripping the edge of the closed doors. It took the cyborg seconds to pry it open. Galen leaped across after him to help him hold the doors open.
While the imperators held the doors, Rillian lifted Dayna into his arms.
“I can make it—”
“Shh.” He leaped across the gap.
They were on one of the hotel levels. The elegant corridor was empty.
Rillian dropped to his knees and buried his face in Dayna’s hair. His insides were a chaotic mess. He tried to calm the fear and fury…and the burning need for revenge.
“Rillian—”
“Just be quiet and let me hold you.”
She stilled, her arms tightening on him.
A moment later, another elevator dinged. The two imperators shifted, pulling their swords, and stepping in front of Rillian and Dayna.
Rillian saw Tannon step off the elevator, along with his containment team. They all wore fitted, high-tech enviro suits and helmets. Rillian jerked his head toward the shaft and his head of security nodded.
As his man directed the containment, Rillian let himself absorb the feel of Dayna—the sound of her breaths, the solid thump of her heart. She was alive.
But Rillian was shaken to the core.
He’d amassed a fortune and built an empire. He’d vowed to never make himself vulnerable again. To never have anything in his life that could release the killer within him.
Yet here he was, with his greatest vulnerability in his arms.
Tannon reappeared, tearing the helmet off his enviro suit. “The containment is almost complete.” A muscle ticked in the man’s jaw. “I will personally oversee how we can avoid anyone accessing the elevators again.”
Rillian nodded. Tannon was loyal as desert rock. The man would work day and night to make that happen.
“This was in the elevator.” Tannon handed over a heavy piece of paper covered in writing. Rillian’s mouth flattened. It was just like the others.
Your lover is dead. More will die. Forsake the House of Galen.
Rillian’s rage flared white-hot like a supernova. He let out a growl and Galen took the note from his fingers.
“Rillian, calm down.” Dayna rose on her knees, cupping his face.
“No.” He rose, pulling her with him.
“Rillian—”
He clamped his hand on hers. He let his gaze drift over her face before looking at Galen and Magnus.
“I will burn Zaabha to the ground, and then I will grind the House of Thrax, and every Thraxian, to dust.”
Chapter Twelve
Dayna was trying to fight off the shock, but her close call had violent shivers wracking her body. She gritted her teeth and tried to relax in Rillian’s arms.
He stepped off the elevator—that he’d had Tannon check twice before they’d used it—and onto the penthouse level. Tannon led a team of security guards behind them.
Rillian strode down the hall and past the door to her bedroom. A moment later, he carried her through the large double doors at the end of the corridor and into his room.
“No one gets in without my permission.” He slammed the doors closed.
Dayna got the impression of black
paint and warm woods, with a dash of blue. He set her down on the large bed covered in a glossy black cover. It felt divine under her fingers.
“My personal physician will be here shortly.”
“Rillian, I’m fine—”
When he skewered her with a look, she closed her mouth. He started pacing across the large room. The lights of the city glittered through the large windows.
Dayna settled back on the bed, distractedly brushing the sleek, soft cover. A moment later, there was a soft knock at the door. Rillian opened it, and a tall, thin man with long, white hair entered, carrying a small black bag.
“She was exposed to Zavir. Check her.”
At Rillian’s curt order, she rolled her eyes.
“Hello there, young one.” The physician sat beside her on the bed. “I’m Healer O’Garrie. Rillian’s paying me a lot of money to check you over.”
“I’m afraid he’s wasting his money, I’m feeling fine.”
“Zavir poison is not something to be trifled with.” A wide smile in a friendly face. “Let’s take a look.”
The man pulled out a small scanner and ran it over her. He hummed, and after a few beeps from the device, he set it back in his bag. He looked at Rillian. “She’s in perfect health.”
Rillian gave a tight nod. “Thank you, O’Garrie.”
“Get some rest.” The healer patted her shoulder.
Dayna murmured her thanks, and watched the doctor leave. The door clicked closed behind him.
She lifted her chin. “Satisfied?”
“No.” Rillian strode to the edge of the bed. “I want to check you myself.”
Her chest hitched. “Rillian, you heard what the doctor said—”
“Strip.”
A blunt command. She sucked in a breath and stared up into his face. She saw that this was a man standing on the very edge.
She swallowed and slowly rose. Only inches separated them, and she felt the heat pouring off his body. She touched the fastenings of her gold skirt and they parted. The fabric slithered down her legs. She sat back on the bed in tiny black panties and the fitted black bodice of her gown.
Rillian pressed one knee to the bed, leaning over her. She got a hit of his spicy cologne. God, the man smelled so good.
