Zin laughed. “You have no rights here, Mr. Williams. You’re on alien soil and subject to our laws and furthermore, you’re lying.”
Eddie sputtered. “What do you mean, I’m lying? I answered all your questions.”
“Then perhaps you’ll answer one more.” Eddie nodded his head, trembling all over. “Why are you dressed in Officer Blue and Effridge’s clothes? Zin watched as the color drained from the two men’s faces. Eddie began to struggle again while Larry was held immobile by Rmantk and his two men. Zin concentrated and let his canines lengthen until they would no longer fit inside his mouth. He glared at the speechless man, letting his breath seep over his frozen face. “Where are Rich and Danny?”
* * * *
Jeni struggled to open her eyes, the pain in her head throbbing. The last thing she remembered was being in the cave. It seems dark, but not cold and damp like the cave was. Where the hell am I? She tried to move her hands and realized they wouldn’t pull down. Something was holding them above her head. She was lying on some kind of mattress with the air smelling stale and stagnant. Her eyes filled with tears. Zin, Kernz, where are you? She lay perfectly still when she heard the sound of a door opening. The voices she heard sent chills down her spine. She’d know those two voices anywhere.
“I wonder what’s keeping them, Rich?” asked Danny.
“I don’t know but I’m getting worried. We should have taken off a half hour ago.”
“What’s the delay? Are they not willing to go back a day early like you paid them to?”
“The captain said they have to wait out some kind of anomaly at the other end of the wormhole. Something like a meteor shower or asteroid field, or something they can’t just fly through. He said it would take about a half hour for the debris field to clear the opening and then we could take off.” He snorted. “Stupid man said not to worry, that we could push the engines and make up the time on the other side of the wormhole.”
“What’ll we do if the guys don’t get back in time to leave with us?”
“Nothing. It’s their problem. If Zin takes them out, it’ll save us the trouble. Did you think we’d just happily share the reward for bringing this bitch back to Ellison?”
“Yeah, I thought that’s what we talked about when we set all this up.”
Rich laughed. “Let me ask you this, Danny. Would you rather split the reward two ways or four?”
“Okay, I get your point. Just don’t get any ideas about taking it all for yourself.”
“You don’t have to worry, kid. I don’t think I could handle the little hellcat by myself. We’ll keep being a team. We’re good together.” He rattled the bars on Jeni’s cage. “I wish to hell I knew how long she’ll be out for. When they gave me the syringe, they said it would only be good long enough to get her onboard the ship and then it would wear off. I guess it’s lasting longer because she knocked herself out on that ledge. I’m going to wait outside to watch for Morris and Williams. You keep a sharp eye on our prisoner. We want to make sure she makes it back to Earth nice and healthy.”
* * * *
Zin motioned Rmantk back and led his men behind the station.
“What’s the plan?” asked Kernz.
Rmantk ran his hand through his hair. “Why don’t you just morph into that Eddie fellow? You had your hands on him, so it wouldn’t be a problem. You could just waltz in there and demand to see the prisoner. You’d be dressed as an officer of their courts.”
Kernz nodded. “He has a point. I didn’t touch them, so I couldn’t help, but you shouldn’t have any trouble.”
“No, it won’t work.”
Kernz laid his hand on Zin’s arm. “Why not?”
“Because if we do that, we’d have to kill them. Father was adamant that outsiders not know of our morphing capabilities. It would make our allies very nervous if they discovered we could easily impersonate any of them for an indefinite amount of time. We need to find a way to do this that doesn’t expose our race. We want them to go back to Earth so frightened they never attempt to come after her again. Otherwise, they’ll just keep sending men no matter where we take her.”
Kernz nodded. “At least on Arridia we can be assured they can’t get to her.”
“Yes, but I’d rather end it now.”
“What are you going to do, Prince Zin?” asked Rmantk.
“I’m going in there as myself and demand to see her. I want them preoccupied while Kernz sneaks in and frees her. It’s his responsibility to get her as far as the main cabin and then the three of you will take over and get the princess to safety.”
“You want me to go in invisible.”
“Yes, so you’ll have to hurry. I don’t want you fading back in front of anyone.”
Rmantk glanced toward the ship. “Do you know where she’ll be?”
Zin nodded. “She told us about the trip here. They had her in a cell, in shackles for the entire trip.”
“Where is the cell?” asked Quenk.
“They set it up in the forward cargo hold. Since they’ve only been away doing scheduled maintenance runs, it should still be there. I’ll bet that’s where they’ve stowed her away.”
Kernz stretched his arms over his head. “Okay, are we going to do this?”
Zin looked around. “Is everyone clear on their part?” He waited for Rmantk, Tenik, and Quenk to all nod their heads. “Then, let’s get our Laan Asawa back.” He turned and walked toward the front of the building. He paused at the large window, pressing his hands against the cool glass. His bones twitched and jumped inside his skin as he fought the urge to shift to protect his mate. Peering through the glass he spotted several men in uniforms with ship’s patches watching the security monitors. He could feel vibrations through his boots right before the sound of hydraulics filled the air. He ducked to pass beneath a low overhang and then jerked back to avoid being seen by Rich. The man was pacing back and forth in front of the loading platform of the Earth shuttle. He must be watching for their friends and getting a little nervous. Well, I can’t hide forever. For his plan to work, he had to confront the man responsible for his mate’s disappearance.
Zin straightened his shoulders and stormed around the building, heading straight for the shuttle.
“Stop right there, Zintssar.” Rich’s hand was on his weapon. “She’s back in our custody. She hasn’t followed the rules set forth in her parole, and we’ve determined she’s a danger to others. We believe she’s planning on leaving here as soon as we’re gone. It’s our duty to take her back to Earth to answer for her crimes.”
“What rules did she break?”
Rich smirked. “I’m not required to tell you anything. You’re not legally her husband, or her family. I only answer to my superiors back on Earth. If you’re unhappy, you can head back there on the next shuttle and make your case to the courts.”
Zin grinned. “I don’t think so, little man. You’re not taking our Laan Asawa anywhere.”
“Your what?”
“Our mate. She’s our fated mate, and you’re not taking her anywhere. Taking her would be paramount to starting an intergalactic war. We’ll see you dead first.”
For the first time fear crossed the human male’s face. He quickly pulled his weapon and pointed it at Zin. “Just stay back, and nobody will get hurt. It’s my duty to take her back, and nobody is going to stop me. You have no right to interfere with my job.”
Zin widened his smile, letting his canines grow a little, and began to walk toward the frightened man. “You’re not on Earth now, boy. Here, my word is law.”
* * * *
Kernz clasped his hands together and laid them on his chest. He closed his eyes and let his mind soar, feeling his body dissolve as he shifted to his gaseous state. It only took a few seconds until he became a small, smoky haze. He floated toward the shuttle, making his way past Zin and Rich. For a moment he hesitated, fearful that Rich would shoot Zin, and then moved on. Zin would want him to put the safety of their Laan Asawa fi
rst.
Moving slowly, he drifted into the shuttle. He only had five minutes before he would have to become solid for at least a couple of minutes before he had energy to shift again. He moved steadily down the long corridor toward the cargo hold. The shuttle had three areas for their cargo and he had to find the one they were using to transport Jeni.
He came to the first of the cargo holds and let himself seep under the door. The room was filled with stacks of wooden crates and a few large metal containers. Concentrating, he drifted under the door into the second cargo hold. Here he found robotic loaders and tools. Discouraged, he shimmered under the door of the last hold and nearly lost his concentration.
His Laan Asawa lay on a small cot inside a small, metal cage with bars. Officer Danny Effridge stood over her, peering down at her sleeping form. He floated over to the corner, behind a stack of boxes, and allowed himself to solidify. It took him a few seconds to get his bearings, and then he peeked out at the cage. Rage built in him quickly as he listened to Danny’s gruff voice.
“You’re such a pretty lady. I wish we didn’t have to take you back to Mr. Ellison.”
As Kernz watched, Danny’s hand reached out to touch Jeni’s face. Before he could act, Jeni’s arm came up, her fist sinking hard into the area between the ignorant man’s thighs. He had to bite back a laugh when Danny turned green, bending over to clutch his manhood.
“Shit! You bitch!” He gasped for breath, staggering toward the cell bars. “Why’d you have to go and do that for? I wasn’t gonna hurt you. I just wanted to feel how soft your hair was.”
Kernz moved silently to the cage, reached between the bars and grabbed Danny from behind. Before the boy could say anything, he pulled him back sharply, knocking his head against the metal. Quietly, he watched Danny sink slowly to the ground. He glanced over at Jeni and smiled. She had a dazed look on her face as tears formed in her eyes. “Are you okay, little love? Did they hurt you?” He moved into the cell and saw her hand cuffed to the bar. He walked over and pulled sharply on the metal links.
“You need the key,” Jeni whispered.
Kernz bent down and rubbed his hand over her hair. “What love?”
“The key. You need the key Danny keeps in his pocket to get me loose.”
Kernz frowned, and went over to search through Danny’s pocket. He found what he needed on the third try. Moving quickly, he unlocked the cuffs, dropping them to the floor.
Jeni threw herself off the cot and landed in Kernz’s arms. He hugged her tight, breathing in her unique scent. “I knew you’d come. I wasn’t afraid because I knew you and Zin would save me.” She glanced up, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Where is Zin?”
Kernz wiped the tears from her cheeks and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “He’s outside keeping Rich busy while I get you out of here.” He ran his fingers through her hair and cursed when he felt a lump on the back of her head. “They did hurt you.”
Jeni shook her head and groaned. “No. I did that myself. They startled me when they found the cave, and I jerked my head up to see who was there. I guess the ceiling was a little lower than I thought because I didn’t know anything after that until I woke up here. I heard them say they injected me with some kind of sedative to keep me quiet.”
Kernz struggled to hold in his anger. “Come on, love. Let’s get you out of here so we can take care of your injuries.” He put his arm around her and led her toward the door. When he tried the handle, he found it locked. “Damnation. Rich has it locked from the outside so nobody can get in.”
Jeni bit her lip. “What are you gonna do?”
Kernz kissed her head. “No problem. I got in, and I can get out the same way. Just stand back and don’t be frightened.”
* * * *
Jeni stepped back and watched as Kernz closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His hands folded and suddenly, he just seemed to dissolve into thin air. His hands and feet went first, and then his arms and legs. Finally, his torso and head just faded away. She felt a cold chill and then warmth like she’d never known drift through her body, heating her in ways no man ever had. It was shocking and erotic at the same time to think he’d done something in his gaseous form to cause that feeling. When she began to catch her breath, the door opened to reveal Kernz with a wicked grin on his face. “What did you do to me?”
Kernz winked. “Come on. We need to get moving before Zin has to do something drastic to Rich.”
Jeni followed him through the corridors until they reached the main level. He pushed her back against the wall and peered outside. “Is Zin okay?” she whispered.
Kernz nodded. “Stay here. I’ll be back for you in just a few minutes.”
She watched him straighten, and close his eyes once again as he faded away. When nothing happened she peeked around the door and spotted Zin near the entrance to the station. Rich was on the loading platform pointing his gun toward her mate.
“This is your last warning, Rich. Put the gun away and return our Laan Asawa or suffer the consequences.”
Rich laughed. “I’ve got the upper hand, asshole. You just stay back until we’re ready to take off and nobody will get—”
As Jeni watched, the gun seemed to fly out of Rich’s hand. He looked shocked, and then fell backward, landing unconscious on the ramp.
Zin moved forward and smiled. “Nice going, Kernz. Did you get our girl free?”
Jeni ran down the ramp and watched Zin’s face light up. His arms came up, and she threw herself into his embrace. “Thank God he didn’t shoot you.”
“My little flower. Did they hurt you?”
Jeni sighed and snuggled closer. “Not really. They kept me from you, and that was hurt enough. I just wanna go home and forget about Gracely Investments.” She jumped when Kernz’s arm snaked around her waist.
“I really should punish you, love. I told you to stay out of sight until I came for you.”
She felt her cheeks getting warm. “I know, but with Rich down, the danger was past. I just couldn’t wait to get out of that ship. She looked up when Rmantk and his men walked out of the station.
Rmantk bowed from the waist. “It’s good to see you well, my Princess.”
“Thanks, I think. That princess bit still hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Tenik laughed and turned to Kernz. “What do you want us to do with the other two?”
Jeni frowned. “What other two?”
Chapter 9
Zin sighed. “We didn’t know it, but they brought another two men when they transported you. They’ve been hiding out here at the station staying in one of their suites for rent. They led us on a merry chase this morning while Rich and Danny spirited you away.”
Kernz growled. “Let’s get all of them together and lock them in the cell in the cargo hold. The captain can make sure they’re fed and get them back to Earth. I can contact our man at the State Department and have them waiting to take custody of them when they arrive.”
“Better make sure they pick up the captain as well.”
“What are you talking about, flower?” asked Zin.
“I heard Rich tell Danny that he’d paid the Captain to come back early and leave ahead of schedule. To me, that means he was in on it with them.”
Kernz rubbed her lightly on the back. “You’re right, love. I’ll put it in the communiqué, and they can be waiting for him as well. It will be his last trip.”
“You can add something else to that message, Kernz.”
“What’s that, love?”
“I want you to send them the bank account numbers where I sent all of Gracely’s money. I can give them names and dates that should help build a case for racketeering. I’m sure they’ll be happy to know where the money is.”
Zin pulled her into his arms. “I’m proud of you, flower. This will put everything behind us and we can travel to Arridia to start our new life.”
“After all the trouble I’ve caused you, you still want me to be your mate?”
Zin hugg
ed her close, and Kernz moved in close behind her. She noticed Rmantk and his men grabbed Rich and disappeared into the ship. “You’re our Laan Asawa, our fated mate, and nothing can ever change that. But more important, you’re the woman I fell in love with.”
Kernz nibbled the back of her neck. “I think even if you weren’t our fated mate, I would still have fallen hopelessly in love with you. Will you go with us now and complete the binding ceremony that will unite us as one soul for eternity?”
Jeni grinned. “Only if I get to take a bath first.”
Zin picked her up in his strong arms and started toward the building. “You got it, flower.”
* * * *
Zin leaned down and smoothed his mouth over Jeni’s, stroking his tongue along her lower lip. He breathed in deeply and growled. The three of them had gone to their separate rooms to bathe when they’d arrived back at the farm. He’d wanted them to come together for their binding ceremony cleansed, with all of the past horrors washed away. Now, thanks to the special soaps he’d left in her bathing room, his mate smelled even more like the Rrhytia flower from his home.
“Don’t take so long, Brother. I want to taste our Laan Asawa.”
Zin ignored Kernz and sucked first her upper lip and then her lower lip, burying his fingers in her silky hair. He swept the inside of her mouth with his tongue, brushing his chest against the tips of her breasts, storming her with a deep, claiming kiss. Reaching up, he cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb tenderly back and forth across her skin. His heart beat faster when her long, manicured nails scraped over his hand.
* * * *
Kernz leaned down and whispered in Jeni’s ear. “I need you, little love. I need to taste you.” He turned Jeni into his arms and teased his lips along her cheekbone, his teeth nipping at her soft flesh. With his lips and tongue he left a wet path on her skin. He trailed his kisses along her jaw and down to the hollow of her throat. “I can’t get enough of you, love.”
My Chameleon Loves [Galactic Nuptials 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 12
