Alphas, Airships, and Assassins

by Frost Kay

  “Jer! Look how cute he is,” she whisper-shouted.

  “You can’t keep him.”

  “Of course, I’m going to keep him.” She flicked a glance at Lev. “I can, can’t I?”

  A genuine smile crossed his face. “We’ll figure something out.”

  She skimmed her finger along the ridges circling his shell. “So how did you guys find me anyway?”

  “Jer put a tracker on you,” Coal offered.

  “Nice,” Allie said, lifting the tinya closer to her face.

  “You’re not upset?” Lev pried.

  “It saved my life, right?” She nodded at Jer. “We girls got to stick together.”

  Jer smirked at Coal. “Told ya.”

  “How much longer until we get home?”

  “Two hours,” Blade said.

  “Well, then, let’s get to know our new team pet.”

  “Team pet?” Lev said slowly.

  “Yeah. It will boost morale.”

  “You want to stay with the team?” Lev asked, his gaze pinned to her face.

  “Of course. Sloven was a monster, but do you think I’d let a creep like that keep me from helping out? Absolutely not. Plus, having Humans on your team would do the Lock sector some good.”

  “Humans, as in plural?” Coal muttered.

  Allie winked at a smirking Jer. “Jer and I.”

  Jer scooted to the edge of her seat and snapped her fingers. “And Lily! It was her trackers that allowed us to find you.”

  “Right! She’s the one who altered our wrist comms, too.”

  Coal flopped back into his seat. “We’ve been invaded, brother.”

  Lev rubbed his hand over his face. “It seems so.”

  Allie snuggled into Blade and cuddled her new pet to her chest. They may have had their own intentions from the beginning, but now they were never getting rid of her. Her gaze moved to the male staring at her with complete devotion and her heart started galloping.

  Yeah. She wasn’t going anywhere.

  32

  Don’t Be a Scaredy-Cat

  Allie wiped down the shiny bar counter one last time and side-eyed the very glum looking Virgil. She tossed her dirty rag into a bin underneath the counter and faced the wrinkly alien.

  Might as well ask him what’s wrong, or she’d never get to go home.

  “What’s going on?” she drawled.

  His wrinkles pinched in a frown. “The dragoness isn’t happy with me.”

  “What did ya do?”

  “Nothing.”

  Allie chuckled. “I highly doubt that.”

  Virgil rotated his glass, the violet purple booze swirling over shards of ice. “Nothing new at least. She’s still mad at me for blowing her cover.”

  Her mind flashed to the night of her escape. Of reptilian emerald green eyes. Of all the dumb luck. “How many years had she been undercover as a scientist?”

  “Seven.”

  “Seven?” Allie’s eyes widened. “Seven years working for Sloven?”

  “She’d never had any confirmation that the boss was Sloven until he paraded you around the lab.”

  “Arrogance, it’ll get you every time.”

  Virgil nodded solemnly. “I should have handled the situation better when I found her in the burning debris. If I’d treated her like all the other detainees, she’d still have her position.”

  “Sloven’s gone, and so is his research facility.” She grinned as she remembered the great plume of smoke and fire that engulfed the lab. “What could she possibly gain from keeping her cover? The op is over.”

  “The king might be dead, but his organization is still running. Just because he died doesn’t mean everything will fall apart. His associates will go to ground for a time and then someone will step into his position.”

  Intrigued, Allie leaned closer. “So you think we’ll be dealing with the fallout of this for some time?”

  “Yeah, and it would have been nice to have the dragoness inside to give us a heads up as to whom will take over.”

  “From one bad guy to another.”

  “Such is the life of those employed by the sector,” Virgil mumbled and took a hefty swig of his drink. “So now that we’ve talked about my troubles, how about you?”

  Allie avoided his beady eyes. “What about me?”

  “You’ve been home for three weeks, and you’ve been mopey.”

  She glared at him, a little offended. “Mopey?” There was no moping.

  “Yeah, you’re acting like someone ate your dog.”

  Ate her dog? “I don’t follow you, but I think the phrase you’re looking for is ‘you’re acting like someone kicked your dog.’”

  He shook his head. “Earth phrases. So damn tricky.”

  “And I am most certainly not acting like someone kicked my dog.” Not one little bit.

  “Well, you get this wounded look in your eyes every time you-know-who keeps to himself.”

  They were sooooo not having a girlfriend talk. “I appreciate your concern, but – ”

  Virgil sliced a hand through the air. “It’s more than concern, missy. I’ve been mated for a mighty long time and I’ve learned a few things.”

  “Clearly,” Allie muttered, staring pointedly at his drink. “And what have you learned?” she asked as politely as possible. Maybe if she heard him out he’d leave faster.

  “You’ve hurt your mate, and you need to apologize.”

  She stiffened. “Excuse me?”

  “That man nearly went insane with worry for you while you were gone, and you’re mucking it all up.”

  Allie glanced at the door to Sebastian’s office. If she slapped a patron, would he fire her? “I thought I was the one with wounded eyes,” she shot back. “He’s the one ignoring me.”

  “Because you’ve rejected him more times than he has toes,” Virgil retorted. “A man’s got pride.”

  “Are you kidding me?” She tossed her hands in the air. “How can I bloody reject him if he doesn’t speak to me?”

  “And this is where my marital advice comes in. You need to communicate.”

  “I have been,” she huffed. “I practically glued myself to him on the ride home. We talked, cuddled, and he purred, purred!” Allie slapped her hands together in frustration. “And then we get home and its like it never happened. I’ve sought him out so many times over the last three weeks and he keeps pushing me away. I can’t be any more blunt than I have been.”

  “Have you asked him to mate with you?”

  Oh, dear lord. The conversation just kept getting worse.

  A fiery blush scorched her cheeks, but she managed to push through the embarrassment. There was no way on God’s green earth that she was asking Blade that. Not in a million years.

  “Are you out of your mind?”

  Virgil tipped his head back as if he was praying for patience. “Young people,” he muttered. The alien dropped his chin and pinned her with his stern gaze. “All couples have issues with communicating, but you two are on a completely different level. He’s trying to understand your culture, but he’s still an Av male. You need to be frank with him because chances are, he won’t recognize your mating signals which will only lead to heartache on both your accounts. Have some courage and get your man.”

  She pursed her lips as she mulled over his advice. The older alien wasn’t wrong. Even her own parents said the only way to make a relationship work was with good communication. She’d always been honest, but being so nakedly vulnerable to another being made Allie feel like she was breaking out in hives. She scratched at her forearm as insecurity crept up on her.

  “What if he doesn’t want me?” she whispered. She’d kept Blade at an arm’s length for months. Unconsciously, she’d been stringing him along. Why would he want someone so selfish?

  “If there’s one thing I know, it’s men. And that man wants you more than anything.”

  “Maybe I don’t deserve him.”

  “Nobody deserves love, it’s a
gift.” Virgil tossed back the last of his drink and slammed the tumbler against the black bar top. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself and go get your man.”

  Her stomach flipped. “I think I’m going to puke.”

  “Then have a shot of a little liquid courage.”

  Allie snatched a shot glass and filled it to the brim with moonshine and tossed back the booze before she could change her mind. Cinnamon coated her tongue and warmed her throat and belly. She’d started this whole journey with moonshine, she might as well end it that way, too.

  “Okay, I’ll do it.”

  “Finally,” Sebastian yelled from his office. “Go get your man.”

  Allie glared at the cracked office door. Stupid alien super hearing.

  “Atta girl,” Virgil praised. “I’ll give you a ride.”

  Allie’s heels clicked a soft stiletto march across the smooth floor of the Lock Av Sector. She glanced back toward the hover bay, and Virgil held his thumb up in encouragement. She waved at Zune who squinted at his computer in complete concentration. He caught the movement and waved absently back at her.

  The hours the team worked still baffled her. Didn’t they have lives, or when in the heck did they sleep? She swallowed a nervous giggle that threatened to break free as she approached the group of men all hanging around the shooting range. Kale and Coal lounged on bean bag chairs next to the sparring mat and Lev and Blade were farther away, testing some sort of blaster.

  Kale spotted her first and shot her a lazy grin. Coal perked up at her approach and winked. He studied her face and then tipped his head toward Blade in question.

  She gave him a wobbly smile and brushed at her hair consciously.

  Why hadn’t she spruced up before she came? She probably looked sweaty and greasy after her long shift at the Scarlet Kiss.

  Coal shook his head, his silver eyes twinkling. “You look fine,” he mouthed.

  She doubted it, but it was too late to go back. Allie stopped at the edge of the sparring mat, nerves freezing her in place. Lev and Blade paused their shooting and spoke to each other quietly, not having noticed her arrival.

  They began reloading their weapons, not acknowledging her presence. She could leave right now, and no one would be the wiser. Carefully, she slipped her heels off her feet and silently plucked the stunning torture devices from the floor. Coal leaned forward, glaring. He stabbed a finger at Blade and crossed his arms, mutiny on his face.

  Darn it.

  He’d no doubt make a big scene if she tried to skulk away.

  Be brave.

  Allie threw her shoulders back and inhaled shakily. She’d never been a coward. Just as Lev lifted his blaster, she cleared her throat. Slowly, both brothers turned simultaneously to face her.

  Her mouth dried and her body broke out in a cold sweat.

  Blade holstered his blaster and stalked across the mat.

  “What’s wrong?” he barked.

  She jerked back, clutching her shoes to her chest at his hostile tone. “N-nothing.” Maybe Virgil was wrong, and he really didn’t want anything to do with her.

  His gaze narrowed. “Then why are you here reeking of fear?”

  Cuz you scare me. Don’t wuss out, Allie Sai. Lay your cards all out on the table.

  “You’ve been avoiding me,” she accused him. That was not what she meant to say.

  Blade’s expression blanked. “No, I haven’t. I’ve seen you every day since we brought you home.”

  “That’s not what I meant, and you know it, buddy.”

  “Buddy?” Kale whispered behind her. “She’s pissed. I feel like I need a snack.”

  “Shut up, you moron,” Coal muttered.

  Allie ignored them and carefully placed her heels on the floor. It wouldn’t do her any good to get angry and throw something. Slowly, she straightened and locked gazes with Blade.

  “I’ve never been one to beat around the bush.”

  “You’re blunt,” Blade replied.

  She cringed. “I know, and I tried to curb my tongue but it doesn’t always work. But today I think it will work in our favor.”

  A dangerous stillness settled over Blade, and his gaze held an intensity that wasn’t there before. “Our?”

  It’s now or never.

  “I like you and I thought you liked me, too.” Tears gathered in her eyes. “I’m sorry if I’ve been cruel. I didn’t mean to. I’ve just had so much forced on me in the last couple of months that I didn’t want a relationship foisted on me, too. I’m my own person.”

  Blade glided a step closer, his fingers clenching into fists. “I understand.”

  “Do you?” She stabbed a finger at the ammunition table. “Because from that first moment, you tried to claim me.”

  “It’s not ownership if you both belong to each other,” he said tightly, taking another step closer.

  “Well, its not how Humans work.”

  “Believe me, I know.”

  This wasn’t going at all as she planned. “My words aren’t coming out right.”

  “What are you getting at?” he whispered, finally standing in front of her.

  She gazed up at him. “Let’s mate,” she blurted. Her words echoed in her ears, and Allie could have sworn a pin drop could have been heard. “That came out wrong, I meant…”

  Blade brushed a stand of hair from her cheek. “It’s all or nothing, Allie.” His jaw clenched. “I’m not Human,” he whispered. “I won’t ever be. I don’t want to date like Humans. That’s too flighty. I want permanent.” A pause. “With you. I want my mate.”

  Her breath caught. “Because of a biological reaction you had to my scent?”

  “At first, but every moment I’ve spent with you has shown me how kind, generous, caring, and compassionate you are. That’s the type of woman I want.” Heat slid through his gaze. “That’s the type of woman I want for the mother of my kits.”

  A giant puddle of helpless goo. That’s what his words did to her.

  “It sounds like you have it all planned out.”

  A small smile. “Our life will be so good. Say yes.”

  “How about a tentative yes?” she hedged. “I want to get to know you better.”

  A shiver ran through her body when Blade closed the distance between them and skated his fingers up her arms, his left hand curling around the back of her neck. He used the slightest pressure to tip her head back. He leaned closer, and brushed his lips across hers, soft and adoring.

  “I’ll agree to your terms,” he breathed, “But only because we’re inevitable.”

  “I-inevitable?”

  “You’re already mine,” Blade gloated softly, the second touch of his mouth soft and gentle, coaxing her to trust and give.

  She only hesitated for one blip of a second before Allie threw her arms around his neck with giddy delight, and a tingle of excitement ran through her when he growled and hauled her closer. The man didn’t just kiss. He possessed.

  Threading her fingers in his hair, she held on for dear life. One moment she was standing in front of him, the next Blade plopped her down on the ammunition table. Her stomach dropped out of her body, and a weightless feeling settled over her as her Av kissed her with a desperation of a man about to go under.

  Allie gasped when he bit her bottom lip and pulled back just a touch to stare into her wide eyes. The most beautiful smile swept across his features. He nuzzled and pressed a kiss on her temple.

  “I’m very lucky,” he whispered.

  And for the first time in her life, Allie Sai felt lucky, too.

  Epilogue

  Epilogue: A Year Later

  Blade

  His two brothers stood on either side of him watching Allie and Jer destroy their targets. His mate lowered her blaster and glanced over her shoulder, cheeks pink with excitement. She winked and turned back to observe Jer finish up her set.

  Blade studied the redhead’s form as well. It was flawless. “You figured out who sent her?”

  Coal grunt
ed to his right. “Whoever sent her was good. I haven’t been able to find any information that’s not public record. There’s just nothing. It says she lived a normal life.”

  Lev snorted and crossed his arms, meeting Blade’s questioning glance. “Normal my ass. That girl has had more training than half the Av sector put together.”

  “Allie says she has ninja skills,” Blade murmured. A thoughtful look crossed Lev’s face that he didn’t like at all. “You’re not using my wife to get information about her.” He flicked a glance at his mate and allowed a small smile to turn up his lips. “She’ll never give you a damn thing. What about Sid?”

  “The Sarpe is digging a little deeper into Jer’s past. We’ll see what he comes up with.”

  Jer whooped and both women high-fived, a strange Earth custom that he found oddly satisfying. Allie handed her blaster to her best friend and bounded toward him, grinning from ear to ear. A deep contentment warmed him as she hugged each of his brothers and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. He caught her shirt as she pulled back and reeled her in for a proper kiss.

  His mate slapped him on the chest and pulled away, blushing. “Enough of that.”

  “Never enough,” he said roughly. Blade hid his smile as Allie’s whole face turned a dark red.

  “So cheeky,” she muttered.

  His mate shook her head and then sauntered over to Jer with a sway in her step that made him want to haul her off to somewhere private. Blade inhaled deeply, not able to get enough of her scent.

  “So…” Lev commented. “Allie’s scent has changed.”

  “That’s not a question,” Blade responded. “And so has Jer’s.”

  Coal made a face. “I noticed that the other day, too.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “But not like your mate’s.”

  “When are you going to tell her?” Lev murmured.

  “I’m not. When she figures it out, she’ll tell me. Allie likes surprises.”

  “Lucky bastard,” Coal muttered. “It’s been what? Three months since your mating ceremony and you already have kits on the way?”

  Possession and pride filled his chest. “Humans are special.”