Domestic Duet: Domestic Alliance & Asset

by Cora Blu

  Tucking the device into her pocket, she darted glances down the street past Third and Emerson to the post office on the corner. Two blocks from the neighborhood precinct, the streetlights flooded the sidewalk and the patrol cars lining the street. The bakery in sight, she made it to the side wall and waited.

  This was the end of this mission and with everything coming to a head, Sadie needed to talk to Theresa.

  A large hand covered her mouth, another clamped tight around her stomach. Screaming into the palm, she recognized Aroc’s scent as her feet left the ground and her back wedged against his familiar ripples and bulges. Farkus scooped her legs up to run down the alley. She wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling as he leapt over a short fence. She hoped that biscuit she ate didn’t get jostled up into her throat.

  When he stopped, they were under the glow from the lamp across the street straining to cast a shadow down the alley. When her feet hit the ground, she wheeled around and pressed her hands to his chest.

  "Aroc.” She eyed his males filling the alley, staring at her. “Captain...what happened? Captain Ryner assured me you gave Commander Oliver and myself lead on this case.”

  He angled forward. "Another contaminated shipment delivered to my bay. I’m done negotiating with humans.”

  “Aroc, you can’t start a war over this. There’s too much at stake to throw it away when we’re this close to shutting down Edwards’ operation.”

  “I have to quarantine the entire bay, Sadie. That’s lost income and possible health risks for my males. Karuntee are effected by high levels of certain gases and those containers tilted the scale.”

  Angrier karuntee poured from the shadows, bodies gleaming with rain under the streetlights, giving them a wet marble appearance.

  "Your mate has our protection, Captain,” Montage informed, his attention focused on her.

  Sadie held his stare. The normal tightness she’d noticed in his shoulders whenever he spoke around her was no longer there. Had she won the approval of the great Montage, hater of all that is human? It appeared that way. There was no denying the fearless presence of his aura, but the female that took him down one day would have to have her own.

  “Where would you like the men positioned?"

  “Montage, what’s happened?” Sadie asked uncertain he’d answer her.

  “We received confirmation that Edwards added more shipments in the last hour. The man you and Oliver captured at the warehouse, confessed to a second shuttle landing at the sight. Your men will need help. And if these rogues are karuntian, a part of the rogue sect that attacked Cantrell’s shuttle bay, I’ll deal with them.”

  Sadie blew out a strangled breath. "Aroc, not here in the neighborhood,” she said, shooting a glance down the alley then back up to him. “It’s not safe. There's a police station three blocks from here. This street will be swarming with patrolling cruisers soon. You're not a complete secret from all humans. Police are an extension of the government and those that know the damage a karuntian is capable of to a human body… They could walk the streets with bazookas wreaking havoc on all these innocent people, possibly killing a child.”

  He showed a slice of his serrated teeth through his parted lips. He pointed a finger down the street. “Richard’s not getting away on this one. My crew will follow them to the site where the rest of my males are waiting.”

  “Aroc, if things go wrong and something happens to the treaty, cutting off the relationship between karuntian and humans...” She hesitated, looking into his handsome face. “I don’t want that on your head.”

  He grinned. “You’re worried about me?”

  “Yes, I am. Now go so I can do my job.”

  "Your safety is in jeopardy being here on Earth tonight, and I want you safe and away from this back on the space station.”

  Sadie ran a hand over her face. Her fingers came away wet, as rain appeared to drip from the sky. "Is Norese safe?"

  His answer, when he finally stopped staring long enough to grace her with one, came in three dimensions she'd remember forever. As if her concern aroused him.

  His hand wedged between her back and the cement block wall, and since it was Farkus, she waited and allowed him the touch, directing her closer. His mouth covered hers in a scared, hungry kiss. Sadie could have been thrown off planet Earth with less surprise at the sincere, pained emotion Aroc breathed down her throat. His thick fingers cradled her spine, sliding his hand up her back to grasp her hair in his fist. The elastic rubber band yanked from her hair seconds before his hands returned to massaging her spine.

  She hadn't realized she'd ran her hands under his arms, fingertips brushing the edge of his retracted spikes, under his vest. Enticed by the sensation, she ran her fingers around the muscle encircling each spike to feel them reflexively tighten. Encouraged by Aroc’s throaty moan, Sadie drew her fingers up the column of his neck, thumbs massaging under his earlobe, another sensitive spot she’d learned of recently.

  In response, he ran the rough pad of one thumb up the nape of her neck pressing the tendons, sending a delightful tingle to run the length of her arm. Her fingers flexed on his neck and she wanted to melt into his caress. Not with a battle raging around them.

  “Be careful,” she said more to bring herself out of the heady clouds his touch drew her into, than making him aware of their surroundings. “Soon Oliver’s going to lead those men to the shuttle.”

  "Don't worry, Sadie. Karuntee are uncivilized, but our women are important and precious to our community and to our families."

  She watched his temple pulse with his thudding heartbeat. He was ready to fight the humans, hungry for it. His eyes glowed with the lust for battle.

  "Tonight we'll fight together to help your people and mine. And when this is over, you, Norese, and I will be a family."

  "Excuse me, Captain Farkus," came Montage’s deep voice from the end of the alley. A low growl of agitation left Aroc's throat. Sadie broke the seal to burrow her warm face against Farkus’s hard chest. Lord she was on fire.

  "The males ready?” he asked his hand stroking her shoulder.

  "Human police were spotted on the next street over. My men are ready to engage.”

  “Aroc,” Sadie said. “If you leave now, you can stop the launch without killing humans or engaging the police in battle. There doesn’t always have to be bloodshed.” She touched his chest giving him a pleading gaze. “Don’t do this Aroc, don’t start a war.”

  He looked to Montage. “How many of our males are on the site?”

  “Ten on the ground ready to greet the shuttle. Twenty of our younger males are waiting in the surrounding grove of trees.” He looked at Sadie. “She’s right, but what’ll keep them from doing this again? I say we let their government see what happens when they cross a karuntee by taking out the police force.”

  She tensed. “Aroc, if you do that, anyone—human or karuntian—that made a living off these fuel exchanges legally, are done and will go bankrupt in a matter of weeks.”

  Aroc cursed using karuntian terms she’d heard only once before and knew they were vile. He growled under his breath. “Take ten males from here to the launch site. We’ll join you after I settle some things here.”

  She ran her hands up his ribcage, feeling the steady beat of his heart under his warm skin. His bare chest shined as if polished marble under the streetlights with his vest open down to his cargo pants waistband. Their bodies touching gave her a sensation she’d never felt with another man.

  “I’ll take my males to the launch site. I’m in control of that, Sadie, and when I tell you to leave, you don’t argue…no discussion," he ordered.

  “I can—”

  “I have a lifetime of battle experience and I’m built to take the hit, you’re not,” he warned. “You did your job flushing out the thieves. And you, sweet female, have little battle skills so my words are rule, Ochi.”

  She suppressed the argument welling up in her throat, wanting to join him in the fi
ght. She resigned to his wishes, for now. “Where’s Norese?

  “In your home with Ryner’s housekeeper.” He gave her that wicked dark stare that melted her fight every time, and then nodded agreement on Norese’s location.

  "I have to go.” The kiss he gave her was warm and patient, tenderly tugging her bottom lip into his mouth past the tips of his serrated teeth. When they separated, she saw the man, not just the alien, in his black and burgundy eyes.

  “Be careful, Sadie.” Aroc’s gentle tone held so much concern, it made her look at him a second and third time. He squeezed her and whispered that sweet karuntian word in her ear, the heat of his breath warming her entire body.

  With a quick wink, Sadie took off down the alley, dodging the squad car turning the corner and prayed Farkus got out of there in time.

  Chapter 19

  Carnival-like music from the summer festival filled the air as cars sped away from their homes, hurrying to be first in line for the fireworks. Men filed out of the Edwards’ home like a well-tailored stream of smoke, lining the hot sidewalk down toward their cars parked along the boulevard.

  Sadie crouched behind the fender of a mint-green Plymouth. Gripping the taillights, she ducked her face out far enough to see her chance and sprinted toward the fence. She hiked up the hem of her dress, hurdling over the metal fence, cursing as she skinned her shin.

  “I’m too old for this.” Shoving her uniform dress down, she scanned the area before going around to the side of the house.

  Another fence. Dag!

  Grabbing up her hem, she wadded the cotton in her hands, hurdled the neighbor’s fence to wait for Oliver to emerge from the crowd of men on the sidewalk.

  “I told Savannah you’d explain it better."

  Hearing Oliver’s voice, she pivoted on her shoes. Her attention landed on Timothy and Savannah standing, with small suitcases clutched under white-knuckled grips.

  “Sadie, what’s happening?”

  “Savannah, whatever Oliver told you, you have to believe him. I can’t go into this now because…” She eyed Oliver. “Does she know about...the Karuntians?”

  Savannah twisted her mouth in disbelief. When she spoke her words quavered on her lips. “He did and I still don’t believe him, but I’m scared for me and my boy. After everything Oliver’s said and the things I’ve noticed over the past few months, I know something’s going on.” She touched her cheek, her fingers trembling. “Sadie, I’ve always treated you with respect and honesty. Did my Richard do what Oliver said, steal from the government?”

  Getting close, Sadie held her hands in hers, feeling the ache building in her chest at the anguish on Savannah’s face. “You know that file you saw in his office meant more than what he told you. I never wanted you to get hurt, that’s one of the reasons I stayed on this case. You’re a good person and I want you and Timothy as far away from all of this as possible.”

  “You’re the salt of the earth, Sadie Ochi Alexander—the salt!”

  A bit choked up, Sadie pivoted around to face Oliver strapping a phaser gun under his suit jacket.

  “Karuntee are filling Hilden Street and Farkus is in no mood for reasoning. He’s out for blood…red blood."

  Oliver’s head snapped back. "Shit!”

  “The alien is down here now on Earth,” Savannah cried, her eyes stretched wide, dropping her suitcase to grab up Timothy.

  Sadie nodded.

  “Can you stop him?" Oliver asked, looking down the street at the men getting in their cars.

  "Stop him, yes. Stop a large army of karuntee bent on revenge, not likely.” What sort of influence did everyone think she had with Aroc? She wasn’t his advisor.

  “How many?” he asked in a short, clipped tone. She stared into his stern face, his chiseled features shadowed by the house, but he just repeated his words stiffer this time. “How. Many?”

  She frowned, the bloody picture unfolding in her mind. “Enough to make cleanup a messy, all day job for some poor street cleaner.”

  “Oh have mercy, Sadie. What’s happening?” Savannah cringed. Norma and Ernestine came around the corner in all black tucking phasers in their waistbands. The shock on Savannah’s face told her there was no way to leave her on Earth after this. “Norma…Ernestine, you ladies know about this alien thing going on with my husband?”

  “Mrs. Edwards,” Norma said, “Your husband’s stealing from the government—our government.” Bracing a hand to her chest, she shook her head tilting it sideways. “The same one we all pay taxes to every month of every year from the income we earned. Stealing hurts everybody.”

  Savannah’s face paled under the approaching moonlight. “I’m so sorry. I never—”

  “What, never knew? You knew, Mrs. Edwards,” Ernestine said in her snarky tone Sadie didn’t care for. “You just didn’t want to get involved—self-preservation. We get it.” Ernestine added with a lift to her nose while eyeing Savannah’s attire with a disgusted frown. “But don’t worry, Sadie won’t turn you in, because you always treated her with respect. Not a quality Norma and I can say about our bosses. Don’t judge a person’s character by their profession.”

  Sadie wanted to tell her to stop, knew Savannah in her own way was aware things weren’t perfect as she pretended they were.

  Changing the subject before it got ugly, she said, “Let’s get off this street and go shut down this rogue.”

  “Go in together—come out together,” Norma chanted, looking around the neighborhood.

  Oliver took Savannah’s hand. “We have to get you two out of here, now before there’s bloodshed.”

  “Damn it, Sadie. Aroc’s scent is all over you. Katherine carried that wild funky scent I hated. What is it about those freaks?”

  “Can you piss on me later? Our planet is about to become the main course at a karuntee buffet.”

  “Guess I lost another partner to the karuntee world.”

  Sadie’s heart slowed. “Oliver, we both know Aroc didn’t kill Katherine. You need to move past this hurt and get on with your life.”

  Oliver appeared to hover with information that would save the world when his eyes brightened. What would he tell her? “He never told you what happened in the hospital, did he?”

  “Told me what?” she asked, her interest waning to even know. With a war about to erupt, Sadie searched the street for her karuntee—a particularly large one with an appetite for battle.

  “I knew something was wrong.” Oliver’s hands on her shoulders turned her to face him, bringing her attention to see the sour scowl on his face. “The day Katherine and the baby died…in the hospital…Aroc swore our paths would cross and he’d make me pay for attacking him.”

  She choked, unbelieving his arrogance. “So mating with me is his way of getting back at you for what happened in the hospital?”

  Oliver set his sad eyes on her. “You mated with him—not just had sex? You went through with the ritual?”

  “I’m not fighting with you now.”

  Oliver spun around, shoving a hand under his hat scratching his head before he came back over. “When did Aroc become serious about you two wanting to become mated?”

  The picture unfolded in color and a cloud shifted from over her brain revealing a truth she hadn’t seen. “After I told him you’d asked me out.”

  “That does sound suspect, Sadie. Check him out, girl,” Ernestine commented, resting back on her heels.

  “Oliver, this is my personal business you’re tossing around like front page news.”

  “Don’t you see, Sadie? He’s taking you the same way he took Katherine.”

  "Oliver...no, if you want a friendship with me, leave Aroc out of it.”

  “You told me you slept with Aroc months ago. Why wait until now to become mated? C’mon, Sadie, open your eyes. He’s using you!”

  Had Aroc misrepresented himself to her all these months to spite Oliver?

  She waved off his words, shaking her head in denial. “Don’t drop this on one side.
You both used my friendship to your advantage. You didn’t have a problem using that advantage when I was the maid without a voice.”

  Oliver appeared to shrink some at her words. “I never used you. Think about it, Sadie. He works with Ryner and allows you access no one else has. Of course he knew we’d eventually become partners. It afforded him the opportunity to get back at me for accusing him of Katherine’s death in front of his men.”

  Oliver’s words would place a reasonable amount of doubt on Aroc’s behavior if she didn’t know Aroc. But she did. Yet, their relationship, ripe with tension both sexual and emotional, didn’t require a lot to push them to the next level.

  Oliver closed his hands around her shoulders. "Go change. Then make certain Aroc wants you and not just because I wanted you.”

  She lowered her voice and touched his face to look into his eyes. “Oliver, please try and forgive and allow Katherine’s memories to console your heart. You have it all wrong.”

  Together they spun on their heels at the cacophony of pounding footsteps on the ground coming around the back of the house. Captain Ryner emerged, strapping a belt around his waist while checking his weapon’s setting. He shook his head. "You two are going to get yourselves killed and a lot of innocent people.” He clipped his transporter inside his waistband. "You're so much alike you can't see its not romantic attraction. Cantrell, you think Aroc will hurt her so you’ve attached yourself to Sadie. Saving Sadie won’t save Katherine. Let's go help Aroc before he decides to kill the treaty and litters our streets with dead bodies."

  Their problem couldn't be that easy. “Captain, how's Leslie?"

  Pride burned under his features, illuminating his fierce eyes. He was a proud father. "She and our son, Ellis, are strong and healthy. But the moon is going to change soon and I can't have unrest while Sector Five’s plunged into darkness. There’ll be dead bodies floating through the atmosphere."