by Rena Marks
That was only fair.
Chapter Nine
SHE WOKE ALONE IN her bed, wondering at first if it was all a dream. But no, her room smelled of their combined scent. Her body was deliciously sore and relaxed in ways she hadn’t thought possible.
Just the thought of why sent a familiar tingle through her lady bits.
Well, crap. That shouldn’t have happened so soon. Apparently she wasn’t yet done with him. It was a good thing they weren’t quite balanced.
She rolled out of bed to head to the shower but started when she saw a covered tray on the night stand. There was a small vase with a flower, a glass of orange juice, toast with an omelet. A note.
My pretty:
There was a disturbance in the camps last night. I came out early to keep an eye on things but couldn’t bear to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully. Eat your breakfast and if you want, come meet me out here and I’ll debrief you on what’s going on.
Take your time!
Yours,
Shawn
Such a confusing note. He called her my pretty like things were back to normal but signed it Yours, Shawn. What did that mean? Hers as in her trainer? He spoke of work, of course, that was because he knew her. If there was a disturbance out in the homeless camps, she’d want to be there. But after the night of glorious lust tamping…where did it leave them? She was unsure of how to behave.
Normally she would call her girlfriends for advice. But…work was calling. And Shawn did leave her a perfectly good breakfast. Seemed a shame to waste it.
Her stomach growled painfully. Having a night of sex must be a workout to rival sparring. So she leaned back against the pillow that still smelled of Shawn, brought the tray to her lap and dug in.
After she ate every delicious bite, she showered quickly and put on her uniform. She had no idea how long Shawn had been out at the camps, but he’d left her food and she appreciated it. Perhaps she should stop by the mess hall and grab him a sandwich. If he wasn’t hungry, someone else would take it. Besides, she needed him to keep his strength up. He was human, after all. Though, perhaps that wasn’t such a big deal anymore.
She headed into the mess hall. It wasn’t a normal eating time so there were fewer people inside. She had them prepare an egg salad sandwich on one of those croissants Shawn loved so much. She smiled slightly. Most males loved a good hearty bread for sandwiches. Something thick and filling and made for sub sandwiches which could take a beating piled high with slabs of meat. But not Shawn. The little croissants were almost delicate looking and definitely were delicate tasting. He was such an odd human.
A sweet human. Devastatingly handsome and covered with thick slabs of muscle. And ink. Tattoos covered his humanly tan skin. It was sexy. Damn if that tingle didn’t relight the more she thought about Shawn’s form.
She grabbed the sandwich from the human staffer, who had wrapped it in foil, and slipped it into her small backpack. Well, not really a backpack. More of a pouch carried on the back of her uniform. It contained smoke bombs and tear gas used to subdue disturbances on the outside. Worthless weapons, really, when a Xeno Sapien’s fists could cause a lot more damage. But they weren’t supposed to damage humans on the outside. There were too many cameras and drones flying about. She wasn’t overly fond of working out there, though she liked to protect the family section. A lot of times, males went out to work the fields and the females stayed to school the children. If there were unscrupulous people about, they would come after this section to threaten the homeless.
She cracked her knuckles. That was one time when her fists could be used.
She used a hover board to climb a wall near the main gate, where the attendant could see her and add her temporary status to the computer that tracked the wall climbers. It was Renegade, Amanda’s mate, on duty. He waved and she stepped from the board onto the wall, kicking it behind her where it would cling to the magnetized chutes and be ready for another person. Along the top of the wall she walked, keeping an eye out for Shawn.
She saw him amidst a human female and Trance, another Xeno. She jumped from the wall and walked their way, not missing the way Shawn’s eyes warmed when he saw her.
“Here’s my partner,” he told the woman. “Tempest.”
Was that what she was? His partner?
“Tempest, this is Leah. She works in the city.”
How odd that she lived in the camps. By the way Trance’s lips tightened, he wasn’t aware that the female lived out here, either. And by the way he held himself, there might have been a bit more to the situation than anyone knew.
Shawn turned to her. “Someone caused a ruckus last night. We think it may be Leah’s husband.”
Oh.
By the way Trance’s fists clenched, he wasn’t too happy about Leah being married. She nearly snorted. Why these idiot Xeno Sapiens kept falling for humans was beyond her. Did they not know how weak they were?
“What happened?” Tempest asked.
“A woman was attacked last night. She didn’t see who it was. It was too dark. She just remembers the perpetrator calling her Leah,” Trance said.
Tempest caught how Leah looked downward.
“The victim was unconscious and he struck several blows before stopping—we’re guessing he realized she wasn’t who he thought.”
“And why would we think he was after Leah?” Tempest asked.
“Because the woman was wearing a silk kimono that used to be Leah’s. She saw it and liked it—and Leah gave it to her. If you look at the woman when her face isn’t swollen, you’ll notice that she looks a lot like Leah. The same hairstyle Leah wore a couple weeks ago, actually. Leah had cut her hair when she joined the camps.”
Tempest turned to the human. “Any reason why you cut your hair?”
Leah’s voice was a whisper. “No. I just wanted a change.” Even her voice was weak.
“Trance has volunteered to patrol this sector,” Shawn said. “I’ll take the days he’s off, if you’d like to join me.”
Tempest shrugged as if it was no big deal, but secretly she was thrilled. This was more time with Shawn. But she wasn’t going to let the weak human female get away with not telling them everything.
“Any reason why someone would stalk you and try to hurt you?”
The woman took a deep breath. “We don’t know someone was after me.”
“You do not live with your husband,” Trance spat. “Why?”
Her face grew even more pale. “We’re separated. I filed for a divorce and I’m just waiting for the paperwork. It’s amicable. There’s no reason to think I was the cause of”—she waved her hands around the camp—“all this.”
Shawn was human and couldn’t communicate telepathically with Shawn the way Xeno Sapiens could—the way she and Trance were able. But she recognized something in Shawn’s demeanor so she whispered into Trance’s mind.
Shawn thinks it is her ex-husband.
I do, too. But what can we do unless she comes clean?
I think Shawn’s up to something. Don’t be surprised if he’s hard on her…and fight your instincts to defend her.
Why? What is he going to do?
I’m not sure, but he won’t hurt her. Stand down.
Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Trance take a small step back, as if unplugging himself from the situation.
Shawn was still questioning Leah. “But how do you know it’s not him?”
“I don’t know it isn’t. But I don’t know that it is, either. I just think we may be barking up the wrong tree, is all.”
“Yet we have to get to the bottom of it before someone else is hurt. Maybe you.”
She shook her head. “I’ll be fine—”
Tempest gasped when Shawn’s fist shot out to strike her—and stopped midair. The woman didn’t stop. She flinched, cowering down into a crouch, her arms flung over her face in a defensive stance.
Everyone was struck dumb.
She cowered for just a few moments before
it dawned on her there was no danger. Slowly, she rose from the position, her eyes remaining downcast.
“I think we know why you left him,” Shawn said softly.
Leah’s eyes were huge and glossy with moisture. “Please. I can’t lose my job.”
“You’re not losing your job,” Trance growled. His fists were clenched at his sides. “But you should have told us.”
“Take her to the front gate. Help her pack her bags and go see Renegade. We’ll sort this out on the inside.”
“But—”
“Leah,” Shawn said sternly. “We can’t have people getting hurt over you. Do you understand this?”
Leah paled. But like a man, Shawn didn’t understand the guilt she would have felt over being unable to protect the weak…like the female who’d just gotten hurt for looking like her.
“It is not your fault,” Tempest said to her. “You did not strike that female. But until your ex is caught, we can’t let him search for you here and possibly make another mistake. You’ll be safe inside.”
Leah nodded and Trance escorted her into her small, one-room cabin, just slightly bigger than a tent. The small living places were being constructed to avoid the harshness of the cold weather that was coming. Hopefully, all the tents would be replaced by winter.
As soon as they were gone, Tempest asked Shawn, “How is the other female?”
Shawn sighed. “She’ll live. But she’s swollen and bruised. Thankfully, not concussed.”
“Here, I brought you something,” Tempest said, reaching around for the pack on her back. She pulled open the flap and grabbed his sandwich. “This should tide you over until lunch.”
His eyes lit with pleasure as he unwrapped it. “Thank you. My favorite.” He took a huge bite of the sandwich.
She rolled her eyes. “I know.”
He bumped her shoulder with his and then continued to eat. “You care.”
“I do not.”
“Yes, you do.”
“I’m just trying to score brownie points with the boss.”
“You already do.” He grinned, continuing to eat.
It was a good look for him. Grinning made him youthful and carefree. Younger.
“Trance is trying to get the human woman to be his,” Tempest said.
“Really? How do you know?”
“His demeanor.”
“I think he would have stopped me from almost striking her if he had been interested.”
“I warned him to stand down. I could tell you were up to something.”
“Well, don’t you know me so well,” he teased. “Now that you’re sleeping with me and all.” He finished the sandwich and crumpled the wrapper, aiming it for a covered receptacle. He shot and then raised his hands as if it was a winning score.
“It was once,” she reminded him. “One time to satisfy the itch.”
“Uh-huh.” He didn’t sound too concerned and she felt somewhat disappointed that he didn’t angle for more.
His communicator beeped and he scrolled through the text. “Look at this. I had Robyn do a little background digging. It took a while.”
He held his wrist to her face and so she took his hand—casually, as if she was just staring at the display screen. But the warmth of his skin tingled under her fingers. Then she remembered she was supposed to be reading, not enjoying his touch.
“It’s medical records?”
“Yeah. Robyn had to do some deep hacking. Apparently our employee has been to several hospitals under a variety of names. Her married and legal name. Her maiden name. Her full name. Her middle name. And all those names paired with the various last names.”
Tempest scrolled through the screen. “Broken bones. Internal bleeding. Did you see the date on the last injury?”
“Yes. She was under our employ. Robyn cross referenced her sick days—she took a couple of weeks off. Called it flu.”
“I knew she was weak,” Tempest spat. “She’s going to break Trance’s heart.”
Shawn dropped his hand but somehow his fingers twined with hers as he pulled her close. “Baby, look at what that tiny human body has lived through. She didn’t have anyone protecting her. And not only has she lived—she’s in survival mode. She’s planning her escape. She gets herself to various hospitals using different names. She took a job here to get her away. Until she passes her probation and is eligible to put in for a move into the city, she’s managed to get herself hidden in the camps. They’re closed to the public, you know. But she’s finagled her way in somehow. That’s resourceful. That’s strength, not weakness.”
“It’s just a matter of time before she dies.”
“It’s just a matter of time before we all die. But she’s thwarted it thus far. She may be good for Trance. He may be good for her. Someone needs to take a chance to find out.”
“Yet she protects her husband by not telling us of his abuse.”
“That’s not always the way it works. Sometimes, someone is so abused they find embarrassment at being in the situation. They want to hide it, or pretend it isn’t happening.”
She’d seen this before.
A mental thought pushed into the edges of her mind. Renegade, Amanda’s mate.
Tell Shawn we can get someone to sponsor Leah. She can move into the city on a probationary basis until she is offered housing.
Has anyone been asked to sponsor? Because she knew who she’d want to suggest.
It has to be someone who employs her.
Trance. He takes cooking lessons.
Will he want to?
Yes.
Okay, then.
“Renegade says he’ll have Trance sponsor her in the city until the paperwork comes through for her to move in permanently.”
“Good. One problem solved. But we’ll still patrol out here to keep everyone else safe.”
“You—You’ll need a partner?” She wasn’t sure what she was asking but she worried that if the human was safe, there wouldn’t be an excuse to double up.
“Not anymore.” Her stomach plummeted, but he continued on. “I have one. You go where I go.” As easily as that, her spirits soared.
Shawn stepped behind her, pulling her body close to his as he pointed out Trance and Leah up ahead. There was barely room for both of them in the tiny cabin, but it was better than sleeping outside. Trance gathered Leah’s duffel bags and stepped outside to give her room.
“She’ll need a protector. Someone to make her feel comfortable. A friend to help her fit in. Maybe when you and Lily get together, you can invite her.”
“What if she dies? I won’t be happy with you if I make friends with her and she dies, Shawn.” Even to her ears, it sounded a wee bit ridiculous, but she couldn’t help it. He laughed softly, his huge arms wrapping tighter around her. His breath was warm as he pressed his lips to her ear.
“She won’t die, my pretty. I promise. You can be her friend. It’ll be okay.”
Chapter Ten
THEY FOUND TRANCE AND Leah standing outside of the mess hall. Leah looked a bit unsure as Trance tried to talk her into going inside.
Shawn joined in Trance’s battle. “Fancy meeting you two here. Tempest and I were going to grab something to eat, too. Maybe the ladies can grab us the table and we’ll get the plates?”
Trance looked relieved. “Sounds good.”
The two males walked toward the buffet, leaving her and the human standing awkwardly.
“I’m not sure if I introduced myself earlier. I am Tempest.”
“There was too much going on to remember,” Leah said. “But I think someone mentioned your name. Nice to meet you.”
“There is a table vacating over there.” Tempest pointed to it and hurried that way, leaving Leah to follow. She stretched out on one side of the table, making it clear that she was saving Shawn’s spot. She didn’t want the female to get any ideas about which man would be hers.
Leah sat a bit more timidly, leaving more than plenty of room for Trance to sit on her sid
e.
“You can sit across from me, where you will not be staring at Shawn. He is mine. I will be your friend so it is okay for you to look at me while I eat.” She wasn’t sure where that possessiveness came from regarding Shawn, but for just this once, it might do to make the boundaries clear.
That was when Tempest remembered to be friendly. She forced a rather large smile to soften her demanding tone, but it felt more like an uncomfortable grimace. “You won’t have friends here in Xenia yet, so I will be your first. You can ask Trance to send me a message to get a hold of you, or you can have him write down my call number. I am not home frequently, but if you wish I can forward your calls to my comm unit.”
“Umm, that’s fine. If I need you I can always leave a message.”
The human didn’t sound convincing that she would bother to call her at all.
Tempest tried a new tactic. “You will enjoy the food here. It is the best.”
The human looked back at her with huge brown eyes. “I know. I help prepare it.”
Oh. Well, that was awkward. Maybe it had been a while she since she’d made friends because this wasn’t working out too well.
The human’s eyes softened. “I’ve never been on this side of the mess hall. I just don’t feel like I should be here, enjoying the food that was meant for Xeno Sapiens. That’s what Trance and I were arguing about in the hall before you two arrived.”
“Is it because you’re the hired help?”
The woman’s lips broke into the first genuine smile she’d seen since she met her. She was really quite lovely. “Hired help? I guess that’s true.”
“Well, we take care of our own and that includes the help.” To be fair, she patted the human’s hands where they rested on top of the table.
“You don’t have many friends, do you?” Leah asked, her voice wry.
“No,” Tempest admitted. “Just a select few.” She wanted the human to understand it was by choice. Her choice. “Now, if you want to get a breather from Trance, you just call me up. I will show you Xenia, introduce you to others. I know Trance can be a bit much to handle.”
