by Gail Koger
Anguish twisted my stomach. “God, all of this is my fault. If I hadn’t been so cocky—”
Pops put a finger against my lips. “It wasn’t your fault. The Coletti’s technology is nearly impossible to beat, and Jaylan’s very good at what he does. Simply put, we were outclassed. It was only a matter of time before we were defeated.”
I stared at him in stunned disbelief. “You just rolled over and played dead?”
Anger flashed in my father’s eyes. “Have you had the Overlord in your head?”
“Yeah. It’s pretty damned scary.”
A shudder shook Pops. “No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep him out. Zarek invaded my mind, and within seconds, everything I knew, he knew. He could have turned my brains to mush and slaughtered every member of Earth First. But he didn’t. He showed me how the Tai-Kok are building a new superfleet of battle cruisers with the sole purpose of turning Earth into a feedlot. I agreed to help the Overlord stop them.”
“So, you’re like what? A warlord in training?”
A grin curved my father’s mouth. “Something like that. Zarek’s impressed with our battle tactics and unique weapons.”
“I just bet he is, but his recruitment methods suck.”
“He’ll do whatever is necessary to save his people. As will I.”
I rolled my eyes. “Shit. You actually like him.”
Pops laughed. “I do.”
“I still think Gramps mucked with your head.”
“It wasn’t necessary. We found we had a lot in common.”
“Like what?”
He kissed my forehead. “You.”
I wiped at the tears running down my cheeks. “I love you too.”
Pops hugged me. “You’re the most important thing in my life. Never doubt that.”
“You didn’t have to give up your humanity for me. We could have found a way to defeat the Tai-Kok.”
Exhaling a long breath, Pops thumped me on the head. “I haven’t lost anything. The day I married your mother, we became a family. Now I’m a part of your Coletti family too.”
I touched his cheek. “Mom was never truly happy until she met you.”
“Freya loved me as best she could.” There was acceptance and sadness in his eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I knew her heart belonged to another.”
“But you still took us in.”
Pops cupped the side of my face. “And I never regretted it.”
“Neither have I. You’re a pretty awesome dad.” I took a deep breath. “What do you think of Jaylan?”
“He’s exactly what you need.”
“Really?” Whose side was he on anyway?
“Jaylan’s strong enough to handle your shenanigans, he’s not threatened by your strength, and he would die for you.”
“Shenanigans? What shenanigans?”
Pops snorted derisively. “Does horse manure ring a bell?”
I shrugged. “The cocky bastard deserved it.”
Jaylan inquired from behind me, “Cocky bastard?”
Turning around, I aimed a scowl at Jaylan. “What’d you expect? Spouting crap like ‘my prey never escapes.’ I had to show you how wrong you were.”
Jaylan pulled me to him. “The minute you used the cattle prod on me, I knew you were the one I had been waiting for.”
“Only you would think being zapped with a cattle prod was foreplay.”
With slow exquisite care, Jaylan kissed me. “My lady warrior. You hold my heart in your hands.”
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Pops said indulgently and left the room.
“Nice try. Did you kill him?”
A lazy smile played at Jaylan’s mouth. “Radan?”
I smacked his chest. “Who else?”
“You are the most argumentative, stubborn female I’ve ever met, and yes, he’s dead.”
“You couldn’t have waited until I could be there?”
“No, he needed to die.” Jaylan slowly, thoroughly ravaged my mouth. He was a hunter intent on taking absolute possession. Our tongues battled for supremacy.
My core pulsed with a sudden moist hunger, and I wrapped my legs around Jaylan’s hips. I wiggled frantically when he pulled my leggings down. “Wait! We don’t have time.”
Jaylan’s hard cock penetrated me. “We have time.”
My body convulsed as his penis ground against my clit. Dear God, the man was a magician.
I caressed the hard lines of Jaylan’s face. “I love you.”
He rocked steadily inside me. “You are my heart.”
A starburst of exquisite ecstasy roared through me.
Detja’s stern voice intruded like a cold shower. “Children, the ceremony starts in five minutes.”
Jaylan shuddered in release. “Yes, my lady.”
I leaned my head against his chest. “She’s got a mean streak.”
“You have no idea.” Jaylan set me on my feet and fastened his dress suit.
I pulled my leggings up. “You’re the best at quickies.”
“I am Coletti.”
“And not a humble bone in your body.”
Jaylan held out an ornate bronze box. “Please wear this.”
I took the box and opened it. Inside was my ownership band. Picking it up, I examined the beautiful bronze etchings that had been worked into the onyx band. I held it out to him. “I’ll treasure it forever.”
Relief flared in Jaylan’s eyes. He quickly fastened it around my throat.
I shivered as the warm metal band adjusted to fit my neck perfectly. For better or worse, my life was forever entwined with Jaylan’s. I ran an appraising eye over him. His black tunic was tailored to emphasize his massive shoulders, and the fitted pants showcased his thickly muscled thighs. My guy was hot.
He held out his hand. “Are you ready?”
I took it. “I am.”
Poof. We were standing in a large candlelit room. The walls were covered by tapestries depicting bloody battle scenes. A bunch of Tabors clung to the ceiling.
Pops, Kaylee, Tiko, Rami, Detja, and several people I hadn’t met sat at low tables covered with bloodred flowers. Sariel and two other Askole allies lounged on big gold pillows.
Zarek stood on a raised platform. He wore an etched gold headband that denoted his rank of Overlord. Golden strands were woven into his warrior’s braids. His black tunic displayed an amazing amount of muscles for an old guy.
Gramps’s amused voice sounded in my head. “Old guy?”
I winced. Fuck. “No insult intended, sir. I’m sure you can still kick butt with the best of them.”
Jaylan shot me a horrified look. “The Overlord has never been defeated in battle.”
“Oh. How proud you must be.”
Talree appeared next to me with a huge battle-ax in his right hand. He bared his fangs in a savage grin.
I was so dead.
Voss teleported in and handed me a piece of chocolate. “Eat it before I have to lop off your head.”
One look at his bloodstained battle-ax, and I quickly popped the chocolate in my mouth.
His hand on my back, Jaylan urged me toward the platform.
The sensation of sudden overwhelming danger screamed through me like an electric shock. “Wait! Something’s wrong.”
Kaylee shouted, “We’re under attack.”
The ship shuddered violently, knocking me off my feet.
A mechanical voice declared, “Warning! Hull breach in cargo bay two.”
“Guard them,” Zarek commanded and vanished.
A ghostly curtain of yellow energy erupted around the tables.
Bellowing in fury, Talree teleported. Crack! He instantaneously reappeared, encased in a ball of pulsating energy. Zap! It flung him across the room.
An Askole jumped up and grabbed Talree before he could slam into the wall.
Voss hurled his battle-ax at the energy barrier. It bounced off harmlessly.
A tendril of horror crawled in my gut. �
�How do we get through it?”
“We can’t,” Jaylan snarled.
A boiling gray vortex engulfed Kaylee.
“It’s the Queen Mother,” Rami cried.
Pops grabbed Kaylee and tried valiantly to pull her free. With a thunderous cracking boom, they both disappeared.
Opening my Siren senses, I scanned for them and could only find a faint trail. I caught a fleeting sensation of suffocating heat before the tenuous link snapped. “I lost them.”
Talree’s eyes shone with a rage so intense, so inhuman it sent a chill down my back. “If the Queen Mother harms Kaylee or my son, every living soul on the Shani home world will know my wrath.”
The instant the energy curtain dissipated, Talree seized Rami. “You will find Kaylee and my son.”
“I can try.”
“You will do more than try.” They vanished.
“The hunt begins,” Jaylan growled.
“We will find them,” I promised. “And paybacks are a bitch.”
The End, for now…
Loose Id Titles by Gail Koger
The COLETTI WARLORDS Series
Vexing Voss
Reality Bites
Gail Koger
I was a 9-1-1 dispatcher for thirty-one years and to keep insanity at bay, I took up writing. Not to worry. The insanity isn’t catching…much. Other than the addiction to chocolate and the twitch in my left eye, I’m good.
Check out my Web site at http://www.gailkoger.com.
