“You’re fucking kidding, right?” Indigo began to panic as she witnessed another guard begin to cry as he pounded his fists against the ground. A few steps over, another began to strip. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined a purple alien with no butt crack streaking about while whistling.
“You are going to be fine, Indigo,” Paine assured her, his voice calm as he approached, dragging the marshal with him. The smirk was no longer on the alien’s face. It was replaced with a bloody lip and a black eye. “He said there are no traps at the shuttle, just a few guards hiding and waiting for us. I figured we’d hold him in front in case they fired.”
The marshal let out a squeak of fear at the words.
“Guys.” Indigo watched as multicolored birds fluttered out of Axis’s pocket as he pulled out his tablet. “Did you see those birds?”
“It has started,” Axis said, frowning when Indigo poked her finger against the side of his tunic. “We need to get her back to One before the effects grow worse.”
“Come here, sweetheart,” Rowe said to her, holding out his arms.
“But he has birds. Do you have birds?” she asked, walking into his arms and leaning her head against his chest. “Have I ever told you that you smell like cinnamon? It’s nice. I like it.”
“What’s that?” Axis asked, his gaze concerned as he watched Indigo rub her face over the leather on Rowe’s chest.
“What’s what?” Indigo whispered before popping her head up and giggling. “Chicken butt!”
“We need to move now,” Axis said. His eyes widened as he watched Indigo begin to climb Rowe.
“Put your knee here,” she instructed Rowe, gesturing with her hand to how high she wanted him to create a step for her to climb higher. “I’m going to get up high so I can catch those birds.”
“I think you are already high enough,” Axis said with a snort as he watched her clumsily try scale one of her warriors.
“Yeah,” Rowe mumbled, his face smashed into Indigo’s torso as she tried to work her way up to his shoulders. “She needs medical attention.”
“Tamin and Rodin are waiting on One, standing by to assist as soon as we land,” Axis informed them, leading the way to the landing field and their shuttle. “Once we board the shuttle, I’ll secure the prisoner while you get her buckled in.” He looked back to where she was wrapped around Rowe like a vine, clinging to him with a vice-like grip as he carried her. “She needs to see them as soon as possible.”
Rowe nodded while Paine gave their prisoner a swift jerk to bring him up to speed where he was attempting to slow their journey. “Move it before I break your legs and give you a reason to be so slow.”
“Whoooaaaa…he’s angry, like real angry,” she whispered into Rowe’s ear, her lips brushing the skin. “Have I told you I can feel your smiles.”
“That tickles.” Tugging her down into his arms, he adjusted his grip. “Now…what did you say?”
“I don’t remember.” Indigo leaned as far back in his arms as she possibly could, making Rowe juggle her a bit before righting herself. “But, hey, my heartburn is gone. So, there’s that.”
“That’s nice,” he grunted, shooting a glare at Axis, caught laughing and shaking his head.
“I want to kiss you all over, you know that?” she loudly announced. “Both of you.”
Paine and Rowe exchanged smiles, while Axis went from laughter to jealousy in the blink of an eye.
“Oh, you do, do you?” Rowe asked, tightening his hold when she squirmed in his arms.
“Yep!” she practically yelled, popping the “p” at the end of the word. “All over. With my lips,” which ended in another pop.
“Any chance a bit of truth serum was mixed into that scatter bomb?” Paine asked the marshal as he gave the man a tug. The marshal did nothing but glare at him.
“I will not speak to you,” he growled, his eyelids fluttering furiously as he glared at them.
“Really? We’ll see about that. Won’t we?” Axis’s grim warning disguised as a question served the desired effect. A smile crossed his face as the marshal cowed.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“How are you feeling?”
Indigo gave the doctors a smile, more than grateful for everything they’d done to help her get to the point she was.
“Almost one hundred percent. I’ve gotten to the point where I couldn’t sleep anymore even if I wanted to…which is a weird feeling, considering everything. You won’t hear any complaints from me though. I’m just glad I can go home now,” she answered honestly. “I’m more than ready to break out of this place.”
Tamin held up his hand. “Once your husbands arrive, I don’t see a reason for us to delay your discharge.”
Indigo wiggled excitedly on the weird hospital bed. She’d been confined to it for longer than she’d liked.
“You’re not having any lingering effects, correct?” Rodin probed, his fingers flying over the tablet. “We estimated that the hallucinogen should be out of your system days ago, but I want you to tell me if anything flashes back to you. We’ve dealt with this chemical before, but never on humans, so don’t miss any details.”
“What about the dreams?” she asked, holding her breath as she waited for the answer.
While she’d been having the craziest trip of her life—not that she’d ever done anything beyond pot in the past—the doctors had taken the opportunity and basically fixed her.
As much as they could at least.
They’d done some research and accessed some old studies where psychiatrists used LSD to treat patients with all sorts of issues. Hallucinogens, like the one she’d been exposed to when the scatter bomb went off, had been shown to be successful in cases of PTSD, anxiety, and a host of other issues. Between the more recent kidnapping and the years of trauma in the aftermath of the fire that killed her family, she seemed like a good candidate, and they gave it a try.
Her memory was shady, but the feelings evoked during the sessions with the doctors stayed with her. Her mind felt rested, finally. She’d found a feeling of inner peace that she hadn’t even glimpsed in a long while. Now, she worried about how long it would last.
Rodin stopped fiddling with his tablet long enough to look up and exchange looks with Tamin. She was used to these conspiratorial glances between her own two men, men she was anxiously waiting to bust her out of this joint, and knew the doctors were being evasive.
“Gah! Don’t do that,” she groaned, dropping her head back to the pillow. “When my guys give each other looks like that, there’s always a problem. Come on now, tell it to me straight so at least I know what I’m dealing with. Will my nightmares come back? Will they be as bad as before?”
“Indigo,” Rodin started, his face void of emotion, “the answer is that we don’t know.”
“I don’t like that answer,” she said on a tired sigh, even though she was in no way tired after the snoozefest of a week she’d had. “Listen, I’ve been here almost a full week now. I know I was acting loco those first few days, but since the treatment ended, I’ve been sleeping and dreaming like normal. All I’m asking is if you think my nightmares will stay away. You can give me guess, right? Even if it’s just for my own peace of mind.”
“A guess?” Tamin asked, tilting his head as he looked at her. “If I were to give you a guess, I would say yes, your nightmares and insomnia are most likely gone.”
“You may still dream about the fire, or even the kidnapping…the treatment doesn’t take those things away. It simply dampens the negative emotions you associated with those memories, meaning they shouldn’t cause distress. You may dream of the fire and feel sadness, but overall your emotional response should stay level and essentially unaffected. The anxiety and fear that overwhelmed you before should be gone, if not minimal.”
“I think I understand.” Indigo nodded as she considered what he was saying. Even now, the usual anxiety she’d felt at simply thinking about her nightmares was nowhere to be foun
d. Rodin had said the word fire and it hadn’t felt like someone had squeezed her chest in their fist.
It was weird but incredibly welcome.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Rowe greeted, knocking on the doorway with his knuckles before entering.
“Where’s Paine?” she asked when she saw he was alone.
“We ran into Kaine on the way here and he had a few things he wanted to discuss. Paine knew that you were expecting us to be here before lunch, so he sent me ahead.” Leaning down to give her a peck that lingered into more of a kiss, he reluctantly pulled away when one of the doctors cleared his throat.
“I missed you,” he said with a wink before turning around to speak to Tamin and Rodin. “She can leave today, correct?”
They both nodded.
“We were just getting ready to go over the instructions she needs to follow to assist in healing.”
“Is there something she needs more treatment for? I thought the gas had cleared—”
Holding up a hand, Tamin interrupted Rowe. “She’s finished with treatment, but we wanted to make sure there are no lingering effects. Indigo, we want you to be on light duty until our follow-up in one cycle. Not only is your main job to rest and relax, we also need you to self-monitor any change in condition. Your new band will keep us informed of your vitals, but we would appreciate if you could make note of any side effects. I’m sending that list of things worth recording. Even the small symptoms like dry mouth would be helpful.” Excitedly, he continued to the pair, “As you know, this was the first time a human was exposed to a scatter bomb. Any information we collect is useful.”
“Wait, when am I getting a new band?” she asked, putting her hand protectively over the pair that were around her right wrist.
“Before we leave here.” Rowe frowned at her reaction to the news. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
Indigo spun the cuffs that had become a part of her since they’d given them to her that first day. The cool metal warmed to her touch. She knew they were technically broken, but she still had a hard time with the thought of them being replaced.
“I know it seems silly, but I don’t like the idea of giving these up.”
Rowe drew back with a puzzled look.
“What?” he asked, his confusion obvious. “But why? Those are old and broken. The newer version is lighter and will actually work like it is supposed to.”
“I just remember when you gave these to me, I kinda thought of them like an engagement ring. This one was yours,” she pointed to one of the bands before moving her fingers to the other. “And this one was Paine’s. It wasn’t long before I started thinking of them as a symbol. One that showed I belonged here. With you. I know it may sound stupid, but these helped me when you were gone those nights as I struggled to sleep. It made me feel like I had a little piece of each of you with me. They didn’t take the nightmares away, but they still held some comfort.”
Indigo knew the answer might not make sense to the Phaetons, but it was the most honest one she could give.
“Then they will stay yours,” Rowe promised, frowning when the docs started to protest.
“Those bands are useless,” Rodin said before noticing the glare Rowe was throwing his way. “But, as long as she wears a band with the newer technology, I see no need to take the others.”
“Understood,” Rowe agreed with a nod before turning to Indigo once again. “Does that ease your mind? We will still need to see what program is running to cause the indicator to flash, but that shouldn’t require removal.”
“That sounds perfect,” Indigo said thankfully. “After I get my new one, can we get outta here, please?”
Brushing the curls back from her face, Rowe nodded. “That good with the two of you?”
“I do not see a problem with that,” Tamin agreed.
“Same,” Rodin added.
Indigo did another little jig—or as much of one as she could still trapped in a bed—making Rowe laugh at her excitement.
“Well, come on, guys,” she said, holding out her bare arm for them to slap a new band on. “Let’s get this show on the road!”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“Did you want something to drink?” Rowe asked, trying to stall for time. “I already sent a message to Paine letting him know we’re back in our apartments so he should be here soon.”
He better hurry, Rowe thought. He was finding it harder and harder not to touch their wife and he’d promised to wait for his brother, which meant he had to stay occupied if he hoped to stick to that promise. Moving to the kitchen area of the small apartment to put a little distance between the two of them, he grabbed himself something to wet his dry throat.
“I’m not thirsty,” Indigo drawled where she was leaning against the doorway leading to the bedroom.
Rowe stifled a groan when she cocked her leg, bringing his attention to the curvy Lycra-covered thighs he could see under the long T-shirt she wore. Indigo seemed to dress similarly to some of the other brides, preferring leggings and cotton tops versus more formal wear. The result was Rowe sporting a permanent erection and fighting to keep his hands to himself instead of putting them where he wanted them the most.
All over her soft curves.
“I would kill for a shower though,” she admitted. “You’ll need to show me how to work the darn thing again. I’m pretty sure I was in full zombie mode the first few times you put me in there and don’t remember a thing other than buttons…lots of buttons.”
“Of course.” He walked past her where she was standing, squeezing by when she stayed in place. Triggering the bathroom door, it swished open immediately. Gesturing to the pod structure in the corner, he figured it was the closest he could get to what she was wanting. “These control the temperature and speed. There are different settings that can be programmed as well. Numerous types of massage, as well as—”
“Yes?” Indigo whispered as she leaned around him, her closeness throwing him off balance for a moment as he tried to hold back his baser instincts.
Indigo was naturally sexy. She walked, she talked, she blinked, she motherfucking—if he were to steal Pixie’s favorite curse word—breathed sexy.
And he was unable to stop himself from reacting accordingly.
His need for her was only made worse by the fact that they’d been separated for almost an entire week. Of course, they saw her during the day, but when she was being monitored at night the doctors had barred them from her room. The closest they’d been able to get was the room next door, which wasn’t nearly good enough for either of them.
At first it had been to see if their treatment, improvised as it had been, had worked. After the doctors told them that they believed they were successful, nothing had changed. They’d still been unable to join her during her recovery. This time they were kept apart due to the undeniable fact that Indigo needed the rest.
They’d struggled with the separation. The fact that she’d basically been ripped from their arms as soon as they’d landed on One had not done them any favors either. Their emotions had been high, not only from the battle they’d fought to apprehend the marshal but also from the danger Indigo had been in. When the scatter bomb had gone off, his immediate concern had been for their wife.
Not his brother. Not himself. Just Indigo.
In the heat of battle, all of the possible injuries she could have sustained had flashed through his mind causing a sense of pain and worry he’d not anticipated. Paine, partially under the influence of his Brakken rage, had continued to fight, stepping in more than once to take down a guard when Rowe had faltered and looked back to check on their wife.
Now, she was standing in front of him, her nipples hard and her lips glistening as if she’d just wet them with her tongue.
“Are you okay?” she asked, leaning forward and placing a hand on his chest.
Rowe was surprised when her hand didn’t move as his heart pounded hard against the heat he could feel from her palm.
“I’m, uhhh,
fine.”
“Just fine?” Indigo blinked up at him slowly, leaning into him until her breasts brushed his crossed arms.
Taking one step back, he leaned against the bathroom sink, trying to seem unaffected.
She, of course, followed him.
“You smell nice,” he said casually, holding back a growl at the feel of her small hand stroking his chest.
Where the hell was Paine?
“Thanks.” Holding her wrist up to his nose, she encouraged him to take a sniff. “The docs had gift baskets for the new brides, and there was some lotion in them.”
“Really,” he croaked, his arms uncrossing to hold her as she wiggled closer.
Rowe bit the inside of his cheek at the feel of Indigo cuddling as close as possible to the erection he was unable to control. When she slipped a hand between them as if to reach for it, he slipped from in front of her and out the door.
Indigo frowned at him. A look of hurt flashed across her face before it was gone.
“Love—” he started, only to jerk back when she held out a hand, the flat of her palm facing him.
“Don’t worry about it,” she whispered, looking everywhere but at him. Her beautiful brown eyes looked moist. “I’m gonna hop in the shower real quick, and then we can figure out food, okay?”
“I—” Rowe snapped his mouth closed when the door slid closed in his face. “I’m going to kill him.”
Stomping away from the door—and their most likely naked wife on the other side of it—Rowe walked into the living room just in time to see the front door swish open.
“What the fuck took so long?!” he hissed, making sure to keep his voice down so Indigo didn’t hear them arguing.
Paine jerked back at the immediate attack.
“What’s wrong? Is Indigo okay?” he asked, the color leaving his face as he looked around the room. “Where is she?”
Warriors of Phaeton: Paine and Rowe Page 24
