Having set them straight, Allura continued down the sidewalk. She ignored the fact her brothers kept eyeballing everyone who came close. A few times, she feared they might actually wrestle down the pedestrians who had the unfortunate need to share the same sidewalk as her. When they passed the saloon and one exiting man got rowdy—clearly drunk and harmless—it was all she could do to keep Angel from pulling his gun. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been able to stop him from manhandling the poor man and flinging him back inside the saloon—through the plate glass window. Afterward, the onlookers hurried to the opposite side of the street.
Old man Conner and his checker playing companion who sat by the jailhouse weren’t above suspicion. Vale and Angel glared at them while Aris came around up on her side to put a barrier between her and her friends, frightening the elders to the point they hastily said hello, and then packed up their game and rushed inside.
It was like trying to walk between bulls, bumped, prodded, and jostled in the cocoon of strength. Allura stopped abruptly. Enough was enough. She put her hands on her hips and craned her neck to meet her shadowers’ eyes so they knew she meant serious business. “Gentlemen, you needn’t enclose me like a restless mare you fear might bolt at any second.”
Vale said, “That is not our concern.”
Aris added, “We aren’t worried about you getting away from us, sis. It’s the intruders we have to watch.”
Allura blinked at him. On the wildest night, Sheriff Jacobs had to deal with a few drunken brawls and a gunfight, if that. Even those scenarios were farfetched, as tight a handle as the sheriff kept over the small community. “It’s mid-morning. The worst you can hope to encounter is Mrs. Tidwell, the town gossip, who I assure you I would need protection from, if anybody.”
Her sense of sarcasm went over the brothers’ head. Not one cracked a smile. Angel scanned the area, women specifically, as if he could ferret out this nefarious Mrs. Tidwell in the crowd. Then he looked at Allura. “I’m sure before Noor conceded to your wishes he informed you of the precarious situation you are in. Did he not? Returning to Legend wasn’t the brightest idea, but I’m sure Noor did it for your benefit and out of consideration. However, that doesn’t make the circumstances any less dangerous. Therefore, we have to be cognizant of potential enemies that might lurk. I’m sure you can understand that, Allura.”
Had she just gotten a lecture from Angel? She hated to call Noor’s brother starchy, but no other appropriate term came to mind. With white-blond hair and aqua eyes, he was too damn pretty for a man. One time, she actually saw him smile and realized he had dimples, too. She suspected women would drool at his feet if he didn’t have a permanent stoic mannerism that made him seem unapproachable. Not that Caroline had minded. But, then, in her current financial situation, she would have danced with the devil. Angel took some getting used to.
“As I said before, it isn’t that I’m ungrateful, just unaccustomed to such treatment. I already have one overbearing brother. I will speak to Noor on the matter as soon as I see him, and hopefully, he will be reasonable. Though I’m doubtful,” she mumbled, and then stalked away, determined to have it out with Noor about the shadows.
Sheriff Jacob and Noor were immersed in a conversation when she entered the bank. Noor turned in her direction and gave her a cursory glance before continuing his conversation. She wasn’t sure, but with the downward slant of his brows, she got the impression he was displeased about something. Well, so was she.
“Morning, Mrs. Allura. You look right purty today, all dressed in lavender,” Sheriff Jacob said, tipping his hat.
Allura smiled prettily. “Thank you, sheriff. How is the misses fairing? I heard she had a bout of congestion.”
“She’s doing better than yesterday and is actually up on her feet today. I will tell her you inquired about her. She’s been beside herself hearing you were back in town and wanted to visit, but Doc said she shouldn’t leave the house just yet. She’ll be sore she missed you.”
“I will come by to say hello before I leave.”
“She’d be right tickled about that, Mrs. Allura. Well, I need to head over to the saloon. I hear some fellow got himself tossed through the window, and Evans is making a stink about it. Gonna cost him a pretty penny to replace that sheet of glass.”
Allura looked at Angel who came forward and had a side conversation with the sheriff that seemed to placate the man. A hefty sum exchanged hands, too, so large that Sheriff Jacob gave a low whistle and mentioned something about Evan being able to restock his liquor for a month and fix the window, with enough left over to spare.
“What took you so long?” Noor asked Allura.
“I haven’t seen Mr. Norris in a while, Noor. You can’t expect me to rudely rush in and out without talking with the man.”
“What happened with Caroline Graham?”
Allura batted her eyes. How did he know that? “Nothing.”
“We will discuss it later.” He turned his back and engaged in a conversation with his brothers that excluded her, and she realized he purposely moved them out of hearing distance.
Allura felt slighted. She started tapping her foot against the wood floor in a succinct tat-tat that echoed in the small room.
Noor looked over his shoulder, eyebrow raised marginally. “What is wrong with your foot?”
“My foot is fine. Thank you very much,” she said tersely.
Noor shrugged and gave her his back again.
Allura fumed inside.
Vale said, “Ah, Noor, I believe your wife wants to have a word with you.”
Noor narrowed his eyes and observed Allura’s rigid stance, puzzled.
Aris grinned, saying, “Sis doesn’t like us following her around. She said she was going to have a serious talk with you. I believe that means you are in trouble.”
“Apparently, she is unaware of the hazardous conditions in Legend. I attempted to enlighten her, but I’m not sure if it sunk in,” Angel said.
“Really?” Noor said.
Allura folded her arms over her breasts and puffed out air. “I’m capable of talking for myself, gentlemen. Noor, might I have a word with you in private?”
“If it’s about what my brothers mentioned, no. We have already had that discussion, and if I recall, you agreed to obey me if I brought you into town. My instructions were explicit, yet you obviously took a detour between the bank and the store.”
“I think we should discuss this without an audience.”
Noor walked over and gently took her elbow and led her outside. He stopped and said, “You can talk to me until you are blue in the face on the way home.”
“I have one more stop to make.”
Noor’s look wasn’t indulgent and nor was his tone. “It’s already getting late, and the streets are beginning to fill with too many strangers. I don’t want you out in public like a sitting duck. Whatever you need I can return later and pick it up for you.”
Allura leaned in so she could whisper. Noor’s brothers had followed them outside and didn’t seem to have a qualm about listening to their conversation. “I prefer to select my own lingerie, if you don’t mind. And Mr. Norris has a silver brooch I decided I want. I shouldn’t be more than a few minutes, at most.”
“No.” Allura saw Noor cast a leery eye on the number of people who gathered on the streets.
A glint of something flashed in the sunshine.
Noor stepped in front of Allura in a protective gesture, and she wondered to his action. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” he said plainly. She noticed he searched the surrounding rooftops.
She scanned the area to and didn’t see anything unusual. She did notice how quickly Vale, Aris, and Angel came up and joined them, neatly enclosing her in a protective pod.
They were just being overly cautious, as usual. “I really want that brooch.”
“Uh-huh.” Noor shifted his attention when Vale motioned to twelve o’clock, seeing a man hidden in the alley next to a bui
lding.
Noor spotted three other men closing in on them.
“Are you paying any attention to me at all?” Allura said, perturbed.
“No,” Noor said. He withdrew his gun and moved her back into the door’s alcove of the building they were standing in front of, out of the line of fire.
Aris and Vale withdrew their pistols. Angel handled a shotgun and a gun and cocked both.
“What’s happening?” Allura whispered, searching the area.
The sky was clear, the sun bright, and a soft breeze wafted by and stirred the dust in the street. All was serene, or so it appeared, until a burst of gunfire erupted—in two seconds flat, all hell broke loose.
Glass shattered and wood splinters flew through the air, as bullet after bullet zinged off the structure where Noor had Allura hidden. Thwack-thwack. Each noise sounded when blasts hit the sidewalk, tiny bursts of dust exploded in the air, and the water trough burst and sprung leaks when bullets ripped through the oak.
Allura tried to raise her head to see, and Noor promptly shoved it back down. “Stay down!”
“On the rooftop,” Vale shouted over the hail of gunfire.
Noor nodded, and then took off after the shooter once Vale covered Allura. He raced across the street in zigzag motion and fired, hitting a man who toppled over and fell face first in the dirt. He kept running, and then dove for cover when a barrage of bullets pinged all around him.
Angel set his sight and picked off one…two…men who grunted and hit the ground with a thud. He waved to Noor that all was clear. Aris backed up Angel and Noor, keeping the other gunmen at bay while Noor took off down the street and disappeared behind a building.
The street went deafly quiet. A scant second passed. Allura’s heartbeat quickened, and then took a nosedive in her chest when an explosion of gunfire echoed in the distance. She kept waiting for Noor to stand up and wave to her that he was okay. Nothing. Her heart did a triple somersault in her chest, and she felt nauseated when a minute passed with no signs of Noor. Fearful he may be wounded or dead, she tried to go to him, but Vale wouldn’t allow it.
“Let me go!” She struggled in Vale’s arm that had her around the waist. He actually picked her up, swung her around, and forced her back into hiding when all she wanted to do was go to Noor’s rescue.
It took Aris to soothe her before Allura calmed down. She kept searching the building for any signs of Noor. Her pulse was erratic and she was feeling hopeless. Tears sprung to her eyes when several minutes went by and there was still no indication that Noor was alive.
A shot rang out.
“You go to him this instant!” she shouted, singling out no brother in particular.
“Noor is fine,” Angel said. He scanned the area for any signs of movement, but it was as still as the stagnant air now that the breeze had passed.
Allura glared at him. “How do you now that? He could be hurt or…or.” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence, frightened that if she spoke her fears aloud it might come true. “Do you all just intend to stand here and do nothing?” She threw her hands up in frustration. “Fine, I will see to matters myself.” She made it two steps before the brothers surrounded her. Modesty be damned, she raised her skirt hem and withdrew her gun from the leather strap and holster around her thigh. “Move out of my way.”
Aris and Vale exchanged a noticeable glance that happened so quickly it was difficult to decipher the meaning. There were stunned, repulsed?
Angel frowned and rubbed his chin, as if he were deciding what to do about her hysterics. He addressed his brothers. “I could apply enough pressure to her neck and knock her out.”
Allura pointed the gun, waving it back and forth. “Are you going step aside or what?”
“If Allura doesn’t kill you, Noor will,” Vale said.
Allura looked between all three when in the midst of her standoff with Noor’s brothers a body fell over the railing, rolled down the roof, and hit the ground with a thump.
“Oh, god—Noor!” Allura took off running, only to be swept off her feet by Angel, who carried her underneath his arm like a sack of wheat. She went kicking and screaming, and plummeted his back with hits, threatening bodily harm. She had a mind to crack him over the head with her gun but knew that wouldn’t go over very well. That and she didn’t want him to drop her and possibly harm the baby if he crumbled to his knees. With his weight, he would crush her.
“It’s not Noor,” he said, softly but firmly. He sat her down on a bench, took a seat beside her, and crowded her to stay put.
“How can you be sure?” Allura sucked on her bottom lip. She tried to see past Angel’s broad shoulders, but he effectively blocked her from the gruesome sight.
“Have a little faith.” Angel was calm and unconcerned while Allura was a fit of nerves.
“I’m scared,” she whispered, and then began praying feverishly for Noor’s safety. “Lord…god…please…please…please.”
It didn’t help matters when another repetition of shots sounded.
* * * *
Noor raised his fingers to shield his face, pressed the Colt against the cretin’s shoulder, and pumped the trigger. Greenish puke spurted from the wound and splattered his hand and his cheek.
Dolunas growled, eyed Noor with contempt, and snarled, “Inferior Magnus.”
“I purposely aimed for a non-fatal shot. Next time I start working on vital organs.” He moved the pistol to the cretin’s lower extremities.
Dolunas eyes flashed in recognition of Noor’s familiarity with his species.
“Now that I have your attention, I will ask you some questions, and I want answers, or you can kiss your reptilian ass good-bye.”
“How many men did Emperor Agaci send to Legend after my wife?”
“Six came with me personally. There is possibly more that I’m unaware of.”
“Do you receive your orders personally from the emperor?”
“As if that matters,” Dolunas hissed.
Noor sent his knee into the fleshy part just beneath the thick as armor skin at the cretin’s waist and shoved hard. Dolunas grunted and doubled over. The hit was as effective as slamming a fist into a man’s balls. The cretin hadn’t transformed back entirely to his true form, so he was able to grab a handful of hair. He yanked his head back and overextended the wide neck taut. He spoke in a subdued but toxic tone. “It’s important to me, and that is what counts.”
Dolunas snorted. He gave Noor a sloe-eyed look. “No, apparently I’m not worthy to grace the emperor’s presence. He works through a flunky.”
“Sterns?”
The cretin chuckled, a low rough grumble. He smirked and said, “Perhaps you, Magnus, are not as obtuse as I believed. Maybe that is why the emperor fears you most out of all his opponents.”
“I know why Emperor Agaci won’t give up. It’s a matter of ego, but what I don’t understand is why you and your people would side with the vermin. The Txtrcas have remained neutral and stayed out of our galaxy business up until now. What is in it for you?”
“The bigger question is why the emperor would consider you his most worthy adversary.”
“I will get to that. Answer my question.”
“Our minerals are scarce, and eventually my people would have to move to another planet to survive. At our weakest moment, Emperor Agaci preyed on my clan and took us hostage to do his putrid deeds or else suffer under his wrath. With the great disease recently ended—many died—my warrior numbers were few, and the coward slime took advantage.” Dolunas stuck out his chest proudly. “I preferred to fight until death then succumb. My son was taken captive and held personally by the emperor. I refused to give in. Even as my wife cried and pleaded until I heard Ji’farius screams of horror. He is young boy, a delicacy for the emperor.” He gazed at Noor. “I do not do this for the slug, but for my son.”
Noor released him. Slowly, some of the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to make sense while others left him perplexed. “
You didn’t come to kill Allura, did you? I’m the target.” He made a statement. From the viewpoint the cretin had, he could have easily shot Allura before he had an inkling the assassin existed. If it weren’t for the reflected glimmer when the sunlight hit the weapon’s metal, he might have never known a gun was pointed in their direction until the first shot. There was a reason he was still breathing.
“What is your name?”
“Dolunas Damascus.”
“Why do you think the emperor is frightened of me? That one I can’t figure out.”
“Perhaps the same reason he will not face me personally. As I said earlier, he sends his orders through Sterns but refuses to allow me anywhere near him.”
Noor scratched his head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Dolunas had morphed completely, his red eyes fixated on Noor. “I have had my suspicions about the emperor for a long time but was unable to validate anything. You must look past what you see, into the souls of his eyes. See what exists inside the man and then—”
The bullet sliced through Dolunas’s chest and severed a major organ. He dropped to his knees, holding his hand to the wound as slime oozed out between his fingers. He grunted and toppled over as another shot pierced his stomach. Again he was pumped full of holes.
Noor dove for cover, scooting back against the wall. He reached out, grabbed Dolunas by the arm, and tried to drag him to safety. Whoever was firing kept hitting its mark. By the time he had the cretin out of the direct line of fire, his body was leaking fluid that flowed and stained the wood. The pool spread around his body.
He hovered over him, gun poised, ready to defend against the attacker, but he couldn’t pinpoint the shooter. Heavy wheezes escaped. Noor shook Dolunas hard. “Stay with me. Don’t you dare die on me.”
Dolunas gripped Noor’s arm. “Save…my…son. Promise me.”
“Dolunas! Dolunas! Damn it!” Noor jerked him.
“Promise me,” he rasped.
“I promise.” Noor yanked him against his chest. “Sonofabitch!” he swore, seeing the light behind Dolunas’s eyes dim and fade to dark.
Pure Desire [Pure 3] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 27
