Alphas, Airships, and Assassins

by Frost Kay

  The silver-eyed Av turned, his long white jacket flaring around his feet as he gave Allie his full attention. “Yeah, sweetheart?”

  “How did I get to the Sector lab my very first day?”

  His expression gentled a touch. “I brought you in my motorhover.” A small smile. “You clung to me like an octopus.”

  Tears flooded her eyes. “Who hates you most in the world?”

  This time, Coal smirked. “A certain redhead that’s waiting in the ship for you.”

  Heat filled her eyes, and she turned back to Blade who hadn’t taken his attention off her for one second. “You found me.”

  “Of course we did. Are you ready to go home?”

  “Y-yes.”

  Blade didn’t even ask if she could walk. He scooped her up into his arms, and she whimpered like a total baby.

  “Where are you hurt?” Blade demanded.

  “It hurts everywhere.”

  His grave expression turned dark. “We’ll get you some help.” Blade stood, and Allie never released her shard of glass. She gasped as she peeked over his shoulder. The glass had blown into the room and essentially turned into daggers. Sloven hung from the wall, pinned to the spot, barely moving. He lifted his head and met her gaze with a messy smile that twisted his bloody lips the wrong way.

  “Death’s not the end, Allie Sai. Never forget it.”

  “Shut your mouth,” Lev barked.

  Sloven laughed until he began to cough and choke. “My own children murdering their father. How unoriginal.”

  Blade rubbed his scarred cheek against her own. “Don’t look, love. He doesn’t deserve your attention. He deserves to die alone.”

  “This isn’t the end, mark my words,” Sloven hacked out.

  Allie closed her gritty eyes and tried to shut out Sloven’s threats as Blade moved toward the blown-out windows. The wind whipped her hair around her face. “How do we get out?”

  “We fly.”

  “Fly?”

  “Hold on tight.”

  Adrenaline flooded her, and she opened her eyes as Blade stepped off the edge of the window and plunged into the night.

  Allie glared at the side of Blade’s face as he entered the cloaked airship. “You could have told me it was only a six-foot drop.”

  Blade winced and craned his neck to meet her gaze. “I didn’t think you’d scream like a banshee.”

  “Allie!” Jer shouted, rushing from the cockpit. She wrapped her arms around both her and Blade. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  “Define okay,” she joked.

  The redhead pulled back and examined her face. “You going to survive?”

  The simple answer was yes, but she was sure her nightmares would stalk her for some time. “I’ll live.”

  “Not if you keep bleeding,” Blade murmured softly. “Let’s get you to the med bay.”

  "Is Eve here?” Allie asked softly.

  “Yes. We thought it prudent to bring a doctor.”

  In other words, they’d assumed she’d be in rough shape.

  Jer trailed behind as Blade carried Allie down the narrow metal hallway and ducked through a doorway into the immaculate bay. Eve pushed her glasses over her nose, her huge violet eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled.

  “I’m so glad to see you, Allie,” the Av doctor said. “Place her in the pod, please,” she directed Blade.

  He strode to the right and gently deposited Allie into the long, rectangular pod and tried to step away. She grabbed his hand and held on. He stared at their laced fingers and then moved his gaze to her face. Allie’s mouth popped open as she tried to find an excuse for her actions, but she couldn’t come up with anything good. She was just too darn tired.

  “I don’t want to be alone,” she supplied. That was the best she could do.

  Blade studied her but didn’t say anything. He reached out with his right hand and pulled a stool beside the bed and sat.

  Jer moved to the foot of the pod and frowned at Allie’s feet. “What happened to your shoes?”

  “I lost them when I tried to escape.” Come to think of it, she couldn’t actually remember when her shoes disappeared. Was it when she fell from the airship or had she lost them in the ocean?

  Eve lifted what Allie liked to call her magic pen and waved it over Allie’s body and then pinched the top. The device expanded and turned into a screen. Eve made a sound in the back of her throat.

  “Is it that bad, Eve?” Allie ventured to ask.

  “It could be worse. You have no overly serious injuries, but you did crack two ribs,” the doctor said, frowning. “We’ll need to seal some of the deeper lacerations, especially the ones on the soles of your feet. I’ll have to extract the few fragments of glass and debris lodged inside your flesh.”

  Allie shuddered.

  “You won’t feel a thing,” Eve assured her.

  “I wasn’t shuddering because of the pain. It was the word you used.”

  The doctor blinked owlishly behind her glasses. “I beg your pardon?”

  Jer pinched her lips together to stifle a laugh, but to no avail. “She hates the word flesh.”

  “Nooo…” Allie moaned. “Make it stop!”

  “Flesh, flesh, flesh, flesh,” Jer teased.

  “Humans are… bizarre,” Blade muttered to Eve.

  “We like the word eccentric better,” Jer piped in. “It conveys a higher socioeconomic status among Humans.”

  “Well that’s a two-dollar word,” Allie added.

  “Dollar?” Eve asked.

  “One of the currencies on Earth,” Blade replied.

  Allie tipped her head to the side to gaze up at the dark Av. “And how did you know that?”

  He dipped his chin, and his expression seemed to soften. “I’ve been learning more about US customs.”

  Her stomach fluttered, and her brows slashed together. Of all the times to get butterflies! She looked like a trash panda while he looked like he’d stepped out of some alien romance novel. Unfair was what it was.

  “That’s cool,” she murmured. That’s cool? How old was she? Had her brain finally short-circuited?

  Eve stepped around Blade, pulling her attention from the distracting Av. The doctor tapped the side of the pod and then gently touched Allie’s arm.

  “I’ve uploaded the procedures you need to the pod. Is there anything you don’t wish to proceed with?”

  “No, but can you gas me?”

  Eve startled. “Gas you? I most certainly won’t gas you, but I’ll put you under if you’d like.”

  “I would definitely like.” For the first time in days, she’d be able to close her eyes and not be in fear.

  “The last bit of business is that I need you to remove your clothing.”

  Allie was so bloody tired, she didn’t even blush at the request. If stripping in a room full of people meant the pain would go away, she’d do it. “Would you help me up, please?” The words were barely out of her mouth, and Blade was in motion. Her ribs screamed, and the room spun as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

  Jer took her right hand and brushed a dirty blonde strand of hair from her cheek. “We got it from here.”

  Blade ignored Jer, never taking his eyes off Allie. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m in good hands,” she said weakly.

  He nodded once and leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead. Allie sucked in a sharp breath as he lingered before pulling away. Blade smiled at her and untangled her fingers from his. “When you wake, I’ll be here.” He spun and disappeared out the door.

  Allie gaped. Sure, he’d kissed her before, but this was something completely different. It was affection. And she liked it.

  “I’m surprised he was able to leave you,” Eve said offhandedly as she held out a pair of scissors. “Do you mind if I cut your pants and top off?”

  “Please do. I don’t want anything touching me that was his.” She hoped they burned her clothes.

 
Eve began slicing Allie’s top, the cool metal causing chills to run up her arms. “My scans didn’t reveal any other internal damages, but a male can inflict all sorts of pain and injustice on a woman without causing serious injury.”

  Allie stared at the top of Eve’s head as she bent to cut away the last piece of the shirt away. “There wasn’t any type of sex, if that’s what you’re asking. No need to beat around the bush.”

  Eve tossed the scraps of the shirt into a bin behind her. “I’m glad.”

  Jer squeezed Allie’s left hand, uncharacteristically quiet.

  “Are you okay?” Allie asked her friend.

  “You’re the one who’s been kidnapped and assaulted, and you’re asking me if I’m all right?”

  “You’re too quiet.”

  Jer pursed her lips. “I’m angry and I’m trying to keep all the rage at bay.” She smiled lopsidedly. “You don’t need that negativity.”

  Allie rested her head on Jer’s shoulder as Eve started cutting her pants away. “I’m glad I met you. You’ve been a good friend.”

  The redhead leaned her cheek on top of Allie’s head. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I can’t tell you how sick with worry I’ve been.”

  A huge bang interrupted their talk. Jer released her and walked toward the bare wall. “Eve, dissolve the shade please.”

  Eve nodded, and the wall wavered, revealing a huge window. Allie gasped as a cloud of fire exploded from the mountain. Her friend grinned over her shoulder.

  “That bomb did better than I expected.”

  “You bombed the lab?” Allie whispered, thinking about all the scientists.

  “After our team arrested all personnel.”

  Her shoulders sagged, and her lips lifted into a tiny smile. “Then good riddance.”

  Eve yanked her pants from beneath her hips, leaving Allie in only her bra and underwear. “You can leave on the bottoms if you want but I need your bra.”

  Allie didn’t take her eyes from the chain reaction of blasts turning the mountain to rubble as she unlatched her bra. She glanced back when the shell fell into her lap. She’d almost forgotten about it. Allie wrapped it in her undergarment and held it out to Eve who was examining her screen.

  “Could you keep this for me?”

  “I’ll make sure it’s here when you wake up.” The doctor placed her wrapped up treasure on a silver table and helped Allie lay back down. Jer abandoned her spot by the window and stood next to the pod as the lid of clear glass slid into place.

  Her friend smiled at her. “I’ll be here when you wake.”

  A small hissing filled Allie’s ears, and her eyelids began to droop. “Try not to cause trouble.”

  Jer grinned. “I’ll make no promises—”

  That was the last thing Allie heard before she completely succumbed to sleep.

  31

  Tying Up Loose Ends

  Awareness filtered in slowly.

  Allie braced for the pain, but there was none. She smiled and opened her eyes, holding her hand up. Little pink scars crisscrossed on her palm like snowflakes. Av medicine was a bloomin’ miracle if you asked her. She slowly sat up and stretched, while eyeing the curtain that circled the pod. “Anyone out there?”

  “I’m here,” Blade answered at the same time as Jer chimed in with, “You’re finally awake.”

  “Eve left clothing for you on the table with your stuff. I can help you dress if you need it,” Jer said.

  Allie flexed her feet and gingerly slid from the pod. Her legs were somewhat wobbly, but they held her weight. “I’m okay.”

  “We’ll just step outside while you change,” Blade’s deep voice rumbled through the curtain.

  Allie listened as her friends left the room, and then she padded over to the pile of clothes Eve had left for her. Gratefulness filled her as she stared at a pair of stretchy pants and a familiar baggy top. They’d brought some of her own clothes. Slipping on her own clothes was somewhat therapeutic. It was almost as if she retrieved part of herself that she’d lost during all the craziness.

  Allie plucked her shell from the table, placed it in her T-shirt’s pocket, and ducked underneath the curtain. Hesitantly, she tiptoed to the entrance of the med bay and poked her head out the door. Voices floated from her right and she followed them, pausing as she got a good look at the people who’d rescued her.

  Her team.

  Coal, Jer, Lev, Blade, and Eve all lounged around the common room of the airship. Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she smiled at everyone.

  “Hi,” she choked out as conversation ground to a halt.

  Jer jumped over her chair and pulled Allie into a bear hug. “I’ve been waiting to do this for hours.”

  Allie hugged her back, crying onto her friend’s shirt. “Thank you so much.”

  “It wasn’t just me,” Jer whispered. “It was a team effort.” She stepped back to allow Eve forward.

  “You look great,” Eve said, her eyes sparkling.

  “I wouldn’t go that far, but better than the last time you saw me. Thank you for all your help. I feel so good.”

  Eve kissed her on the cheek and sidestepped. “I’m so glad.”

  Coal held out his arms and winked a silver eye at her. “Where’s my hello, sweetheart?”

  Allie grinned and threw herself into his arms, squeezing him with everything she had. “How’s this for a hello?”

  He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “A good one. I’m glad you’re safe.”

  Coal turned and handed her over to Lev who squeezed her twice and stared down at her with solemn sea-colored eyes.

  “I’m so sorry for everything. I take responsibility.”

  Allie shook her head. “You did the best you could, and you’re not responsible for Sloven’s actions.”

  His lips thinned as he pressed them together, but he didn’t argue with her as she turned toward the only person who hadn’t greeted her.

  Blade hung back, a hip slung against the side of a tall chair. His blue-black gaze revealed nothing as she approached him, but his right hand clenched the headrest. Without hesitating, she wrapped her arms around him.

  “Thank you,” she said against his black T-shirt. Allie tipped her head back and rested her chin against his broad chest. “Thank you for finding me.”

  Emotion rippled across his face a moment before he lifted her off her feet and practically wrapped himself around her. Warmth suffused her body as a deep purr rumbled through the huge male, and tremors ran through his body. Allie wiggled until she freed her arms and wound them around his neck.

  “I’m okay,” she crooned, running her fingers through his hair. “Everything is okay. I’m here, not hurt.”

  He dropped into the chair and pulled her onto his lap, his face not leaving the spot between her neck and shoulder. Wide eyed, she gazed at the team as Blade continued to rumble.

  “He’s okay, right?”

  “Give him a little while,” Eve said with a smile. “He’ll calm down.”

  Allie blushed but didn’t try to get away. She was completely happy being cocooned in the best hug ever.

  The team settled onto the couches, and Lev pinned her with a serious look.

  “I don’t want to have to ask, but it’s always best to debrief while everything is still fresh in your mind.”

  “Okay,” she said slowly. “I’ll start from the beginning.”

  “Wait.” Jer poured herself a drink and ran a hand through her rumpled red locks. “So, you’re telling me that you tried to escape by hanging onto retracting landing gear?”

  Allie nodded and leaned away from Blade who’d practically turned to stone as she described her escape attempt.

  “I almost had it, but then I slipped. Luckily, we weren’t too high and we’d traveled over the water. I managed to swim back to shore.” Her nose wrinkled at the thought of the creature that had followed her. “There was this purple sea monster that stalked me back to the shore.”

  “Hell,” Coal brea
thed. “A lysantra.” He glanced at Lev. “She outswam a lysantra.”

  “Lucky,” Lev said dryly. “You’re the luckiest person I’ve ever known.”

  An unbidden laugh fell from her mouth. “I reckon that’s the first and the last time I’ll ever hear that. Bad luck has been my constant companion my whole life. But I’m happy not to be fish food.” She pulled the coral shell from her pocket and ran her thumb thoughtfully over the top. “It was beautiful as the sun set though.” She frowned when something tickled the inside of her finger. Allie placed the clam-shaped shell on her palm. “I even came home with a treasure.”

  But then said treasure started to move. The shell separated and four small curved flippers slid out, followed by a round scaled head. Two pairs of black eyes blinked at her. So, Allie did what any sane girl would do.

  She screamed and tossed the alien creature across the room.

  “What is that thing?” she hollered as the creature sucked all its appendages back inside the shell and sealed shut.

  Laughter rumbled her side and Allie narrowed her eyes at Blade. “So now you decide to join the rest of us, instead of using me as your personal teddy bear?”

  He continued to laugh, the mirth making him look so appealing that Allie froze. He shook his head, his deep blue hair tickling her cheek as he leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “I thought you knew. It’s a tinya.”

  “A tinya?” she repeated, turning to look at the small abandoned shell on the floor.

  Lev stood up, retrieved the shell, and held it out to her. “They’re similar to your turtles on Earth.”

  “Turtles?” She eyed the shell and hesitantly pulled it from his fingers. Turtles were the bee’s knees. “Alien turtles,” she muttered to herself. “How do I get it to come out again?”

  “You could try not throwing it this time,” Jer snarked.

  “Cool it, crazy hair,” Allie sassed, inspecting the little creature. She rubbed her thumb across the top of the shell. “Come on, little guy. I won’t hurt you.”

  It took only a minute before the tinya popped his head out again to say hello. Allie smiled at the alien turtle as he stared at her with little black eyes.