Cold Mark

by Scarlett Dawn

  I stopped, peering back. "Meaning?"

  "They now wear a Solo." He shrugged, a wicked grin gracing his delicious lips. "Without knowing it, of course."

  Of course. "That will take care of their issues if I'm far away?"

  "Not entirely, but it will diminish any pain."

  "So we should hurry."

  "Perhaps."

  I glared. "I don't want them weak, even if you two are enjoying it."

  "We'll hurry," Killeg stated calmly. "Don't worry."

  Yeah, right. Don't worry at all.

  Slipping down the ladder last into the sewers, my nose crinkled. "I can't believe I lived down here."

  Jax pinched his nose. "Mother Joyal, this is terrible."

  "Try smelling it with a sensitive nose," Stiller grumbled, taking two steps back as if he could hide from the stench. "That is repulsive."

  The Plumas didn't comment about the stink, but Phila placed his warm palm on the small of my back, guiding me forward. "Show us the way. I don't think they can take too much of this."

  I chuckled quietly, held the sharp knives the Plumas had given me down by my sides, and swallowed down the bile that rose. It was terrible. "Them? Or both of you?"

  "Let's just get this over with," Killeg grouched. "If anyone ever knew we were down in the sewers, we would be a laughingstock with our people. We'll have to shower thoroughly after this."

  "By yourselves," I interjected. "By yourselves."

  "We'll see," he hummed, his blue eyes flaring on me. "You could have said yes this morning."

  I sidestepped a small pile of garbage, my boots sinking into two inches of sludge. "That trick won't work again." I placed the side of my right hand against the rough wall of the sewer so I didn't slip, but I wasn't about to put my weapons away.

  "What?" Innocent eyes. "The drain really was clogged. I needed your help."

  I snorted and pointed to the right at an intersection. "This way." After five minutes of careful plodding, I ducked at the waist and turned left into a long walkway. The men behind me grunted at the cramped quarters, but they followed along, bent over as I was.

  I kicked and shoved a pile of trash blocking our way, mumbling, "Just a little further."

  "Fuck, this is gross," Killeg growled, brushing ... ew ... some animal's shit off his hand.

  "You can always turn back."

  "Just keep walking." A long pause, and then a quiet purr, "At least the view's great."

  I reached back in my hunched-over state and pointed at my ass. "Quit staring."

  He laughed—all male. "Not on your life."

  I shook my head, but a giddiness rushed through my veins. These men were going to be the end of me—or the beginning. Moonlight shone at the end of the walkway, and I hurried toward it. "Almost there."

  Tilting to the side, I squeezed through an opening, my eyes adjusting to the dim light inside the small alcove. I held my weapons steady as the Plumas, Stiller, and Jax shoved through to stand next to me. My lips pinched, and I held perfectly still, as did they.

  "Charlie" was here. Sleeping.

  And he wasn't alone.

  There were two Lavanos inside my old home. Both snoozing.

  It couldn't get much worse.

  Stiller pointed to the one on the right, the red scaled one that wasn't Charlie with a big belly like it had eaten a shit ton and was bloated. He mouthed silently, "She's pregnant."

  Okay, it could get worse.

  "Where are the rings?" he asked silently.

  Much worse.

  I pointed a shaking knife at the pregnant Lavano.

  My rings were directly under her, beneath a loose block.

  All men glared at me. Three set of glowing Mian eyes, one set of Human.

  I scrunched my nose. Charlie wasn't supposed to be here right now. He was always out at this time collecting food. How the hell was I supposed to know he had knocked up a lady-friend?

  Even worse, I didn't see any Mian remains lying about.

  Which meant he was still on the hunt.

  "We'll come back," I whispered ever so softly. I turned toward the exit but froze when Phila slammed his warm palm down on my left shoulder. All men's eyes were wide and quickly became fierce ... as Charlie opened his eyes. Not good. "Shit. I'm sorry?"

  Phila growled quietly in his throat.

  "I guess he remembers my voice?" I blubbered in a harsh breath. "Maybe he won't attack."

  The loudest shriek I had ever heard attacked my eardrums, and I covered my ears as fast as I could.

  His lady-friend had woken up. Really not good. "Okay, she might."

  My right shoulder landed hard on the wall when Killeg shoved me back. I sucked in a severe intake of stench from the maneuver, my eyes flying enormous on my face as Jax landed right next to me against the wall when Stiller pushed him back, too. The Mian stood in front of us, gleaming with deadly weapons in their hands as they held off against the two Lavanos crouching and hissing.

  "This is really not going how I—"

  "Shut up, Ms. Valorn!" Stiller growled as Charlie lunged at him. He jerked to the side and dodged a wing that unfolded. "These damn beasts are practically impossible to kill." That would explain why my Vaq had one as a pet. Good protection for them.

  "Get out of here," Killeg shouted at us. He grabbed onto the female's head and swung his body up so he was riding on her back.

  Phila dove under Charlie, barely missed his leg getting chomped off and slashed his long sword up into Charlie's belly. He rolled behind him as blue blood splashed down onto the thin layer of molded straw covering the floor.

  "Not without my rings," I argued. I raced forward and ducked a claw from Charlie's girlfriend, but managed to shove one of my knives into her left eye. I yelled over her screech of pain, "We won't be coming back here again!"

  Stiller flew through the air when the female swiped him, hitting the wall but bounded to his feet. His shining gaze glared into her one remaining eye. "Come on, bitch. Is that all you've got?"

  Jax shoved off the wall, ignoring Stiller's order to back away, and sliced at Charlie's legs when he reared up—apparently, he didn't like Killeg stabbing his girlfriend's neck repeatedly.

  I dropped to my knees in the chaos and dug through the damp straw, brushing it aside in a rush. "Where are you ... where are you ... where are you ... "

  "Braita, hurry up!" Phila barked as he and Stiller charged the female.

  "Gross," I muttered, wiping blue blood from my face when it splattered through the air. Hands now slippery and tinged the color of a cloudy sky, I crawled forward and kept shoving at the straw. "Found it!"

  "Grab them and get out," Jax muttered, his voice breathless as he dodged a swinging claw. "We'll be right behind you."

  "You bet your ass you will." I dug my short fingernails into the grit and dirt, prying the block up. I swatted at the straw that fell inside, searching the dry soil for ... I lifted two identical black rings. "Got them."

  "Out, out, out!" Killeg growled.

  I shoved the rings down my shirt into my chest support, grabbed my one remaining knife, and jumped to my feet. Running along the outer edges of the fight, I ordered, "Everyone out, too!" I turned to the side and firmly pressed my body through the entrance.

  Jax came next, with Stiller's hand shoving him through.

  Stiller was obviously behind him.

  Killeg grunted as he exited.

  Phila hissed as a claw caught his shoulder as he squeezed through, growling, "Run, dammit!"

  My boots splashed through the sewage, running as fast as I could as I hunched down, travelling down the long passage—I wasn't sure if I had ever run so fast—with the Lavanos escaping through the entrance to their lair. Growls from beasts and Mian shouts of pissed off fury kept my legs moving as I jumped over trash piles. I only stored my knife away when I reached the ladder and climbed as fast as I could.

  Each man followed me out just as quickly.

  Stiller slammed the sewer's door shut. />
  Bang.

  "Get to the damn hov-craft, people," Stiller huffed, out of breath. He pointed a blue soaked hand to the tree line where our transport hid. "Now!"

  Bang. Scrape.

  I watched as the door rattled again. "Yes, it's time to go."

  "Ugh. Please don't look at me like that," I grumbled, brushing dark hair from my face. "Charlie wasn't supposed to be there."

  Killeg blinked, sitting down on the white sofa in the hov-craft. Blood still covered all of us as Stiller put in the coordinates for Center. "Charlie?"

  I waved a hand in agitation. "The male Lavano."

  Stiller mumbled, "She named the damn thing." A flicked glance at the Plumas. "You picked a real winner, my Plumas."

  "Watch it," Phila stated, his tone sharp like his blades. "I've had enough of the disrespect."

  Stiller's lips twitched, not at all repentant, and peered at me as he sat on a recliner. "I think she likes the teasing. Otherwise, I wouldn't do it. Isn't that right, Ms. Valorn?"

  I sighed and lay back on the carpeting, staring at the ceiling. "Call me Braita, Stiller."

  "See?" He gestured in my direction. "She likes it."

  Jax chuckled and lay down beside me. "My other half likes you."

  "I know." I yawned. "It's obvious in his pretty words. Just like his colorful hair."

  Stiller choked and then stopped abruptly. "Wait. Does that mean you don't like my hair?"

  "This galaxy will never know." When he mumbled very unpretty words, I yawned again. "I think we all deserve a nap after that." My adrenaline was plummeting. "I'm ready to crash."

  "Was it worth it?" Jax asked in the quiet.

  I rolled against him, placing my head against his shoulder. I closed my eyes. "Maybe."

  Phila draped a blanket over us. "Don't get too used to sleeping next to her, Mr. Waterston."

  "Jax. My name is Jax," he mumbled and wrapped his arms around me. "Wake us when we're at Center. I'm starving."

  "Same here," I whispered.

  "With as much as they eat, maybe they're part Lavano, too," Stiller joked.

  And yet ... there was something in his tone that made me want to ask questions.

  Not now though.

  I fell asleep next to my best friend, wearing blue blood from a beast.

  I placed my butt on my couch, directly between Phila and Killeg. My stomach was full of scrumptious fair, Sweet Pea was making a mess of a toy at our feet ... and there was a quiet inside my apartment that had the Plumas and Stiller glancing at each other periodically. Every once and awhile, I would see them shake their heads in a negative. I continued watching the flicker show and tried to ignore it. Phila and Killeg would be running off soon to attend to political business, so I wanted to relax with them as much as I could before the sun started to rise and slumber called my name. Problems were not needed right now.

  "Maybe we could go out tomorrow?" I stated, keeping it casual.

  "Where would you like to go," Phila asked, placing his left arm over the back of the couch, brushing my shoulders. "We could go dancing?"

  "Nah." I took a sip from my warm mug of honeyed tea—the Mian version of it. "I thought we could take some defensive courses. If I'm going to live here forever, I might as well keep my fighting skills honed."

  Killeg rested his right hand on my left knee—the one sporting three rings for his Harem. It was now becoming a 'thing' between the three of us. They weren't going to remove their rings until I told them they were the men I wanted to be with. "Does this have to do with the trip we just took?"

  I shrugged a shoulder and little by little, threaded my fingers through his. His hand was warm and calloused ... and nice. "You guys are much more skilled than I am. Fighting the Lavano just reiterated that I'm not on Joyal any longer. I think it would be wise to keep in shape." There was too much weird shit on this planet. "There was an insect in my kitchen earlier tonight that I had to hit sixteen times before it died." I was so out of my element.

  Killeg's attention snapped to my kitchen, glaring at it. "We'll get an exterminator in here."

  Phila hummed quietly and then peered at Stiller. "What's the name of that one place where Yorlaz teaches? It's here in Center."

  "I think it's The Slayer." He kept his eyes on the show but pointed to the west. "It's two blocks over. He runs classes every night, different courses and stuff."

  "Would that be good?" Phila's dark eyes captured mine, pulling me into their mysterious depths.

  I nodded like an idiot, trapped but managed to mutter, "Can you and Phila take the classes with me? It might be nice for us to do together."

  "We'll figure out the times and work it around our schedule."

  "Thank you," I stated ... and overlooked how low my tone had dropped. "It'll be fun."

  His lips curved into a slow grin. "Finally. We've found pleasure we'll both enjoy."

  I peered straight forward.

  That comment was too loaded to even bother with.

  "Mother Joyal, I am having so much fun!" I exclaimed, jumping in place and pounding my gloves together. "What do the Mian call this again?"

  "Boxing," Killeg grumbled, damn near growling. "It's contact, but with no killing."

  "I like it!" I punched his left shoulder and bounced back and forth on my feet. "It's your turn. They're signaling you."

  He jumped up onto the edge of the ring and slid between two of the barbwire ropes with ease.

  I bumped my hip against Phila's. "Think he'll win?"

  Phila snorted, watching his other half. "If he doesn't get disqualified."

  "How would he do that?"

  "By knocking his opponents head off."

  I stopped bouncing. "He wouldn't do that."

  "Not on purpose, but that guy," a point of his gloved right hand, "is who he's up against."

  "Oh." I stared at the green-haired Mian. "He's small."

  "Very small."

  Only ten seconds later, I was face-to-face with an unconscious and bleeding Mian lying in the ring, his right arm hanging over the side. I poked him gently and saw his ribcage expand. I peered up to Phila. "At least, he didn't kill him."

  Phila's chest shook with laughter, grinning so adorably I wanted to lean in closer. "He's still disqualified."

  "Why?" I poked the Mian again. "He's breathing."

  "But Killeg didn't wait until the bell rang."

  Killeg jumped over the barbwire and landed in an easy crouch next to us. As he straightened, he was glaring so hard at the coach that I wondered if the guy was going to pee in his pants. "I saw his hand going for the damned thing. I just reacted."

  I patted his shoulder. "It was a good try." I even said it with a straight face.

  "Shut up, and get up there. It's your turn for fun."

  Unlike all the other Mian inside the training gym, I needed Phila to give me a boost up to the ring. "That's embarrassing," I grumbled under my breath as I grabbed onto the barbwire rope between spikes, keeping myself balanced on the edge.

  Phila jumped and smacked my ass lightly. "I enjoyed it."

  I huffed but felt my cheeks heat. "Quit. I need to focus."

  His grin was slow. "I'm not stopping you."

  Yes, he was—in ways he was enjoying all too much.

  I bared my teeth at him, and then cautiously dipped between the ropes.

  "Be careful of those while you're in there." Killeg was eyeing the mini-spears as the staff yanked the 'sleeping' Mian out of the ring. "Maybe this isn't such a great idea."

  "I'll be fine," I hissed.

  "Just stay away from any kicks and the outer edges."

  "Yes, yes." I placed the mouth guard into my mouth and kept moving, warming up my muscles further. Around the foaming piece, I mumbled, "This is my best idea yet."

  "Fuck me. This is going to end badly," Killeg whispered to his other half.

  "I heard that!"

  I made sure to wait until the bell rang, and then I was a flurry of movement. The Mian man wanted to hur
t me, it was there in his eyes. Female Mian didn't fight. And I was a Human. What—and who—I was, was against everything he held close to his traditional sexist heart, and change wasn't of particular interest to him.

  And he was fast.

  Not as fast as the Plumas, but I had to track his movements by the color of his rouge colored hair. A blur of red here, a dash of red there, and he kept me on my toes. When he wasn't knocking them out from under me. My back hit the ground for the third time, but I swiftly rolled when he followed me down with fists swinging.

  I managed a hard jab to his temple and fully enjoyed watching him stagger to the side.

  I took full advantage of it too, racing forward and slamming my gloves into all the legal 'down' zones I knew. "Fall, dammit." I shot my fist into his solar plexus and grinned when he kneeled over, trying to catch his breath. "Take that ... ." Another punch. "And that." A hard upper jab. "And that!"

  Ding. Ding. Ding.

  Damn ... I backed away. I almost had him down, too.

  The coach still motioned to me as the winner.

  I threw my fists up and pumped them in the air, turning to give the Plumas a huge grin.

  But instead of cheering me on, their eyes simmered with desire. Mother Joyal, me kicking the shit out of a man turned them on. And it dawned on me. Those two were dangerous savages in a sensual way.

  I kind of liked it, my gut warming with a cloying heat.

  I carefully maneuvered through the barbwire and removed the mouth guard. "I know I just showed you how awe-inspiring I am ... but I need help getting down from here." Oh, the ironies.

  We stepped inside a sweets store, still sweating and stinky from the gym. Little Mian children rushed around our legs, and I felt like one of them as I gazed at all of the choices. I opened my arms wide and whispered, "I'm home, my lovelies."

  Killeg couldn't contain his laughter, slapping his palm on a countertop. "Do you want us to leave you alone with all the goodies?"

  "Yes, please do," I mumbled absently, trekking farther into the store. I pointed a finger at a clear tube that had pink cubes inside ... all the way to the ceiling. "Are those good?"