Dangerous Lovers

by Becca Vincenza

  Her eyes fluttered open and when the recognition in them flickered, those hazel eyes shot sparks of gold. Hovering before her was the dark haired man from the bar. She wouldn’t have had to open her eyes to know it was him since every cell in her body was on fire with his power.

  Soft black hair hung close to his shoulders and he wore it brushed back off his face. Liasare briefly wondered if it would feel as soft as it looked. He had a bit of scruff on his face; he obviously hadn’t bothered to shave in the last couple of days. His lips were full and sensuous and definitely made for kissing. In fact, Liasare could imagine running her tongue along that lower lip of his, tugging on it and gently sucking it. What made her nearly lose it were his eyes. They were extraordinary. Lavender, rimmed in indigo with flecks of silver swirling within their depths, Liasare had never seen anything so stunning in her life.

  Regaining her senses, Liasare flew to her feet and threw a right uppercut that connected beneath Jurek’s jaw. Had he been a lesser man, it would have laid him out. Then she spun on her heel and began the motion for an intended groin kick, but his quick reflexes caught her leg before it connected and he flicked it off with his hand.

  “You flaming asshole. Who do you think you are? You fucking knock the wind out of me and then you do it again for shits and giggles? Who the hell do you think you are?”

  “Watch your language and I’m the one asking the questions here.”

  “Not anymore,” Liasare hissed as she turned to head out of the building.

  Before she could take another step, an arm snaked out and grabbed her around the waist. He pulled her tightly against his chest and whispered huskily into her ear, “I asked you a question. I want to know who you’re working for and I don’t intend to let you go until I get an answer.”

  His voice washed over her with that electrifying intense heat. She felt her skin erupt in a million goose bumps as every hair on her body stood at attention.

  Damn him, she thought. How can he have this kind of power over me? Fuck!

  “You have no idea Brownie.”

  “Brownie?

  “Mmm. Brownie. For that glorious mane of hair you have.” His hand spanned across her stomach and she felt a million butterflies suddenly erupt as he hugged her tightly against him.

  “I’ll bet you taste better than one too.” If she could have turned around she would have seen the corners of his mouth turn up as he baited her.

  Seriously? Brownie?

  “Well you certainly have a way with words,” Liasare said sourly. “Okay, that’s it. Get your hands off of me, Romeo.”

  “Not until you tell me who you work for,” he purred as he rubbed his cheek against her ear right before he released her.

  “Myself.”

  “Liar.”

  “Fuck you,” she growled, her eyes blazing.

  “Gladly. Just tell me when and where.”

  “Oh! You are such an asshat!”

  “I’ve been called worse.”

  “Who do you work for?”

  “Myself!”

  “Have you ever been tortured?”

  “No. Why?”

  “Because if you don’t start telling me the truth, you’ll be answering that differently.”

  “I don’t work for anyone, dammit!”

  “What were you doing in that warehouse?”

  “I was checking it out!”

  “Oh really? I find that very interesting because it’s a well known Xanthian base.”

  Liasare’s jaw dropped to the floor and the blood drained from her face.

  “Wh-what did you just say?”

  “I think you heard me the first time.”

  “Could you please repeat it?”

  Jurek told her that it was a known Xanthian base. If that were true, why would Tommy have used it as his address, she wondered? Or what would he have been doing there?

  She dropped to her knees and clenched her hands into fists. Jurek didn’t know what he said that had upset her so much. Liasare didn’t know what she should do at this point. She still needed to find her brother, but at what cost? Now she wondered if Tommy had defected to the other side.

  “So what’s the deal Brownie?”

  “Stop calling me that!” She raised her head to look at him and he could see the doubt clouding in her eyes. “My name is S...er...Liasare Davidson.”

  “Fair enough Liasare Davidson, but you still haven’t answered me.”

  “I was looking for someone.”

  “Who?”

  “My brother.”

  She pulled his picture out of her jacket and handed it to him. “Have you seen him?” The picture shook slightly as she handed it to him.

  Jurek looked at the picture, but he had never seen the human before that he could recall. As he handed the photo back to her, he saw such hope in her eyes, he literally hated to tell her the truth.

  “I’m sorry but I’ve not seen him before. What does he have to do with the Xanthian base?”

  Liasare rose to her feet saying, “I’m not sure, but I intend to find out. The warehouse was an address he had given me. Three months ago he disappeared, but no one seems to be able to tell me anything. Last night I showed his picture to this blonde girl at a club called Raunch and she freaked out and left the club. I tried to follow her but lost her somewhere in the crowd. Then I ended up on a deserted street when...well never mind. Anyway, I have to find my brother. Something weird is going on here and I intend to find out what it is.”

  “Listen Davidson, you need to pack it up and go home. This is a dangerous place and you don’t need to be snooping around in places you don’t know anything about.”

  She whipped her head around, her eyes, once again, blazing gold fire, and said, “And you don’t have any right to tell me what I can and can’t do,” as she angrily stomped off.

  Liasare made it as far as the door when she realized she was stonewalled. The bloody ass had her at a loss because she had no idea where he had taken her. She stomped back to where he was standing and came to a stop a few inches from him. She could feel his surge of power all around her.

  Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “What are you?”

  Jurek cocked his head at an odd angle, cluing her into the fact that he wasn’t human.

  “Well, you just answered one question. Since we know you’re not human, then what the hell are you?”

  “What I am is none of your business. My name, however, is Jurek Herdekian. If you desire to leave, I can return you to the city. I suggest, however, you return home, wherever that may be. Go back to your mother and father where you are safe.”

  Liasare looked at him and started laughing. “Oh that’s rich. Safe with my parents. Uh huh, right!”

  This human had Jurek confused. He couldn’t understand why she was laughing.

  “Long story. Listen, I just want to be on my way, so can you point me in the right direction?”

  “I’m heading to town too, so I’ll go with you.”

  She followed him to the door. They were only a few blocks from the city but it was already dark now. Liasare was actually glad he was with her.

  “You really shouldn’t be out alone at night. This is a danger zone.”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “What do you take me for? A moron? I’d rather not be here at all but I have to find my brother.”

  “Have you notified the authorities?”

  “Of course!” She gave him another eye roll.

  “What about the Guardians?”

  “What about them?” she bristled.

  “Have they been notified?”

  “Yes.”

  “And?”

  “And nothing. Nobody can tell me anything. Look, I have exhausted all avenues. I spent three months trying to dig up something, anything to give me some kind of sign. But nothing. The Guardians aren’t saying a thing.”

  “Do you want me to ask around there for you?”

  “No! I would prefer you not say anything t
o any of them,” she adamantly said.

  “But I may know someone relatively high up who can help.”

  “No! Absolutely not! I mean it. I have my own connections and if they failed, so will yours and you could cause me more trouble that I can even begin to tell you.”

  “There is the possibility that he is no longer alive.”

  “I’ve thought of that too, but then his tracer would have shown that.”

  “Your brother was a Guardian?” he asked incredulously.

  Shitfuck! I wasn’t supposed to let that one slip.

  “Sort of.”

  “What do you mean ‘sort of?’ Either he was or he wasn’t! What aren’t you telling me?” he demanded.

  Before she knew what was happening, he had pulled her onto a deserted street and forced her up against a wall, pressing her against it with his body, his hips grinding into hers.

  Double-decker shit! Here we go again! That power and heat.

  He bent his head to her ear and whispered, “You don’t want to fuck with me Davidson, because I can make your life every bit as painful and horrific as the Xanthians can. What aren’t you telling me?”

  His warm breath and electrifying touch left her breathless, and every nerve ending was crying out for more. She inhaled his essence, and he smelled of exotic spices, and far-away things she had never experienced before. Heady, fragrant and very sexy.

  “I’m waiting Liasare Davidson,” he purred.

  Her throat convulsed as she swallowed, her mouth having gone bone dry as his heat consumed her.

  “I...I,” she began, when he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. What had been a mixture of lavender and silver before, were now complete swirling orbs of silver, reflected in the moonlight. Liasare gasped at their beauty, for never before had she seen such magnificence.

  He dipped his head toward her neck and inhaled deeply and ran his tongue along the length of it. “Tell me Liasare or I shall have to invade your mind and find it for myself,” he said hoarsely.

  “Yes. Yes, my brother was a Guardian. He worked here on Earth for six months before his disappearance. I didn’t want to say anything because the Guardians have been less than forthcoming about his disappearance and I’m not sure whom I can trust here.”

  “How did you come here Liasare?” The way he said her name made it sound like a lovely song, like the wind when it softly rustled through the trees.

  “A friend assisted me.”

  “I see. Why is it so important to find your brother, other than the obvious reason?”

  “He means everything to me. He is my only family. He took care of me my whole life and he would do no less for me.”

  Jurek lifted his head again and looked at Liasare before stepping away from her. She felt cold and empty when he moved away.

  “You can trust me. I will not betray you, but you must follow my orders,” he instructed, brusquely.

  “What do you mean, ‘follow my orders?’”

  Jurek cocked his head at that odd angle again and looked at her as if she had suddenly grown a third eye.

  “I mean exactly as it sounds. If you are to work with me, you must follow my orders.”

  “I work with no one.”

  “Oh yes you do.”

  “Oh no I don’t”

  “Yes.”

  “No.”

  “Enough already. You work with me and you will do as I say!”

  “Good-bye.” Liasare stomped off.

  Jurek threw his hands up in the air and followed her at a distance. She was certainly a handful.

  Chapter Six

  Liasare sat at the bar and finished off her third beer, hoping it would calm her down. So far, no such luck. By the time she had arrived, she’d been seething. She’d felt him the whole way behind her and she knew he was still around here somewhere. She was going to need something stronger. Signaling the bartender, she placed her order for a bourbon, straight up. He brought her drink and she emptied the contents of the glass in several gulps. Making her way to the restroom, she stopped a brunette along the way to see if she recognized Tommy. No luck on that one.

  She left the restroom and rounded the corner to see two Xanthians cornering a tiny female. She was wide-eyed with fear and whimpering.

  “Don’t worry, little girl, we’ll take you some place where you’ll be well cared for.” The one who spoke laughed, as if he’d made a silly joke. The girl was trembling and shaking her head back and forth. The Xanthian’s girth made it almost impossible to see her, but you could still hear her terrified whines.

  It was most likely the alcohol that made Liasare bold, or perhaps it was the fear radiating off the girl. Whichever the case, Liasare moved behind the disgusting cretins and tapped one of them on the shoulder, “Hey, are you an idiot or something? Can you not read body language? This girl isn’t interested.”

  The Xanthians turned their attention to Liasare and when they did, she motioned to the girl with her head to get the hell out of there. The girl wasted no time in scurrying away.

  “This is not your business, bitch.”

  “Yeah, well too bad I made it my business.”

  “Then perhaps you’d like to come with us instead?”

  “Perhaps I wouldn’t.”

  Liasare started backing away toward the busy part of the bar. She needed to get out of there because she knew she was in a danger zone.

  “She thinks she’s going to get away from us Zarg.” The thug on the left spat out as he laughed.

  Zarg started to laugh along with him as he clamped a wide pudgy paw on Liasare’s shoulder and squeezed.

  “Ugh,” she groaned as she tried to pull away from him. His friend got behind her and threw a meaty arm around her waist, biting into her rib cage, bruising her. He clenched her against his body and the smell of him made her gag. He glued his nasty face next to hers, stuck his tongue out and began to lick her cheek. His slobber ran down her face, but when she tried to scream, she gagged and threw up. That put a halt to any sound from emerging, other than the noise of her heaving. Zarg laughed at her as he came up in front of her and slid his beefy hand down her pants.

  Liasare began to squirm and fight in earnest. The thought of one of these animals trying to rape her made her want to kill herself. She tried to free an elbow, but meaty arm had a vise grip on her. She raised her knee in a last ditch effort to jab Zarg in the groin, but when she did, he just chuckled at her. He seemed to be enjoying her fight. A different tactic was in order, her frantic mind decided. She suddenly went limp in their arms. Zarg was attempting to unzip her pants, but her dead weight threw him off balance and he pitched forward onto Liasare who ended up sandwiched between the two putrid Xanthians.

  About the time she felt she had drawn her last breath, a streak of light flashed directly toward her, leaving two dead Xanthians in its path. Suddenly she found herself swirling through a vortex for the second time that night.

  When the world stopped spinning, she pitched forward and threw up again just before blackness enveloped her.

  ***

  Jurek looked at the heap of female lying at his feet. He was still trying to figure out what the hell happened. He was standing in the bar one minute and the next he could feel and smell Liasare’s terror. He flashed to her location and he saw her sandwiched between those two fuckers. He hoped no one saw her with them, or she would be blamed for their deaths. She was such a mess that he didn’t have time to properly dispose of their bodies.

  He gently placed his hand on her forehead and waited the few seconds it would take for his technique to revive her.

  Liasare’s eyelids fluttered open and she saw Jurek kneeling next to her with his hand on her forehead.

  “How do you feel?” he asked.

  “Gross and nasty. Ugh, they’re so disgusting. Oh God, I think I’m gonna be sick.” She rolled to her side just in time to vomit again.

  Jurek handed her a cloth to wipe her face.

  “I’m so sorry. This is really
embarrassing. I don’t usually get sick like this,” she said, her eyes looking down at her hands.

  “What happened back there?”

  Liasare shook her head. “They had this itty-bitty girl cornered by the restroom. She was freaking out. I felt so sorry for her.” She paused and swallowed the lump in her throat. No way was she going to cry in front of him. She rubbed her face and continued, “She didn’t know what to do. You should have seen her eyes Jurek. They looked like a trapped animal’s. It pissed me off the way they were picking on her and laughing about it. I thought I’d distract them so she could get away. It worked, but when I tried to back my way towards the bar, they pinned me between them and they...” her throat convulsed, in a valiant effort to stave off her tears. She dropped her head into her hands and silently cried.

  “Emotions are a waste of time and will be the death of you if you can’t either hide them or control them,” Jurek said curtly. “If you must cry, do so alone, where no one can see your weakness.”

  Liasare lifted her tear-streaked face and stared at him with narrowed eyes. “Go to hell. Excuse me for being human. I was nearly raped by two of the most vile creatures and you have a hell of a lot of nerve telling me that crying makes me look weak.”

  “You should have thought about all of this before you volunteered to travel to Earth to rescue your brother. This was a harebrained scheme and you know it. Your life is in danger and while rape is not a desirable thing to endure, at least it’s better than death. Now go to the back of the warehouse where you’ll find a shower. You reek of Xanthians ... and other nasty things. While you’re back there, find a change of clothing and get rid of what you are wearing. You’ll need to destroy your clothes otherwise people will recognize you. Now go.”

  Jurek walked away, leaving her gaping at him. What an asshole!