by Sadie Carter
Zillion pulled himself up, using the shelving behind him to steady himself. “We need to leave. It is not safe here.”
“We can’t exactly get far with you like that. Not unless Boris carries you.”
Boris shook his head. Nassir raised her eyebrows. “You will not carry him?”
“Carrying me would impede him if we are attacked,” Zillion answered.
He looked terrible. Half of his hair had escaped its band and was sticking up at right angles around his head. His clothing was ripped, his face dirty, so unlike the warrior she had met earlier in the day.
Zoey winced.
“Are you well?” Nassir asked, concerned as Zoey held a hand up to her head. Was it from the bang on her head she’d had earlier in the day?
“Yes. It’s just that Dex is super mad. He’s not happy because I’ve put a block on our bond so he can’t speak to me.”
“Should you not remove the block?” Nassir asked.
Zoey looked at her as though she was crazed. “Didn’t you hear me? He’s super mad. I’m going to get yelled at all too soon. Why start any earlier than I have to?”
“Boris should take you to the palace and leave me here,” Zillion said.
Zoey sighed. “Once, I would have agreed. But, you came to our aid in there. So, you’re one of Zoey’s now, Zillion.”
“Do I wish to know what that means?”
“Zoey never leaves one of her own behind,” Nassir explained with a grin. She could pretty much feel the frustration coming from him, and she admitted it was a little fun to torture him. She still hadn’t forgotten what he had been like earlier.
He deserved to be frustrated. Just a little.
Zillion reached back to brush his hand over his hair. “Does my hair look all right?”
“Perfect,” Zoey said without even a hint of a smile. Nassir turned away with a grin. Her smile faded as she felt rather than saw Boris stiffen. She stilled. What was it?
Something banged against the door to the storage room and Nassir had to bite back a scream.
Boris swung Zillion over his shoulder before she could blink. She gaped. Zillion was not a small man and Boris had just picked him up as though he weighed nothing.
Nassir leaped for the door to the alley, holding it open for Boris, then Zoey. As she stepped outside, she wondered why they had come to a stop. Then she saw him, almost as though he’d been waiting for them.
“Hello, Princess Nassir,” Tazan said smoothly.
“Tazan,” she whispered.
“Princess Nassir?” Zoey turned to look at her. “What are you talking about? Who are you and why are you blocking our way?”
“Oh, you have not told them who you are?”
Nassir turned, ready to run. Her heart raced, her stomach ill.
She would not be taken. She would not be taken.
Coming up behind her were two of Tazan’s men. She swallowed heavily. She’d seen them before—many times—but this was the closest she’d ever come to them. They were huge. Even taller than Boris, and thick with muscle. She whirled back around to Tazan.
Boris slowly placed Zillion down and moved closer to her and Zoey.
“You cannot take me back there,” she told him. “I will kill myself first.”
Tazan smiled. She could feel the evil rolling off him. “Oh, your uncle prefers you alive, but dead works just as well for me. I get paid either way.”
“Nobody is taking Nassir anywhere.” Zoey wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Nassir realized then that she was shaking.
Tazan turned his gaze on Zoey. No, no, she couldn’t let him focus on Zoey.
Before she could offer herself as a sacrifice if he let the others go, Tazan spoke. “We have no issue with you, Empress. You and your people are free to go.”
“I go nowhere without Nassir, buddy.”
Tazan raised his eyebrows then smiled. The knot in Nassir’s stomach tightened. “Very well, I tried.” He raised the weapon in his hand. Suddenly, Boris leaped towards her and Zoey, throwing them to the ground. Her breath left her in a whoosh, the pain of the impact temporarily stealing her voice. Then she realized that Boris was trembling against them, his arms and legs vibrating as though filled with electrical currents.
“Boris!” she screamed as he fainted against them, his not inconsiderable weight pressing against her. But Gods, even unconscious, he felt so right. Then she glanced up, dread filling her as Tazan appeared. He raised his weapon as she heard yelling and scuffling in the background. Beside her, Zoey whimpered but she couldn’t turn to see if she was well. All her attention was focused on the threat before her.
“This should have been so easy. One thieving little princess to grab and return to her loving uncle.”
Loving uncle? Thief?
“I am not a thief. That accusation is false.”
He raised that weapon again. “That is just it. I do not care. All I care about is the money. You made us chase you for months. You made this so hard. And now, I shall make this as unpleasant as possible for you.”
Nassir screamed as a light blinded her.
Then she knew nothing.
Chapter Eight
Panic flooded Dex. He had not felt panic like this since…since Zoey had given birth.
What was she thinking by leaving the safety of the palace?
Had she left because she was angry at him for telling her that she would be returning home tomorrow?
He had only been thinking of her safety.
And had completely disregarded her feelings. Dealing with human female feelings, even after all this time, was still a struggle.
“We are nearly there,” Rohan said.
Dex nodded as they sped through the streets and alleys in one of Rohan’s personal shuttles. They had been waiting for his cousins to meet with them when he had received an emergency alert from Boris, asking him to collect them.
He reached for Zoey through their bond once more, coming up against the block she’d firmly erected. Stars!
When he caught up to her, he would…he would hold her safely in his arms and thank the stars that she was all right.
Then he would yell at her.
At least she had the good sense to take Boris with her. Although what the other male was thinking, taking two females into the city at night he did not know.
He had failed her. All she had wanted was some time with him. Just the two of them and he hadn’t even managed that. At the first bit of trouble, he had decided to send her away. And she had obviously taken it as a rejection rather than what it was meant to be.
Him keeping her safe because she meant everything to him.
“Why would she come to this area of the city?” he wondered. Rohan didn’t answer, but then he didn’t expect him to. His old friend had done more than enough after all the issues they had created. He had set up a meeting between Dex and his cousins, not that they had bothered to turn up. And he’d been surprisingly gracious about the earlier incident at the Royal Guardsmen headquarters. And now he was helping chase Zoey and her friend halfway across the city.
The shuttle came to a stop. Dex waited impatiently for Rohan to exit. The other man paused for a moment, seemingly searching the dark alley.
“Well?” Dex asked, unable to keep the impatience from his voice.
“Just checking for any problems,” Rohan replied.
Dex gave him a sharp look. Shouldn’t his guards do that? But then Rohan strode forward and Dex had to move quickly to catch up.
“This is the place.” Rohan gestured at a rough building. Dex eyed it with consternation.
Zoey was here?
He checked his communicator for the location Boris had sent him. “Boris said they were waiting in the backroom.”
“Probably best we go around the back then. If we step into this place then we will create a big disturbance.”
Dex hurriedly nodded, uncertain why Rohan was moving so slowly, but perhaps it just seemed that way to him.
He needed to see Zoey.
Now.
As they moved into the back alleyway, a loud groan made Rohan freeze. His guards stepped up next to him. Dex gestured to his warriors to follow him as he moved towards where the groans were coming from. He froze as he spotted Zillion sprawled behind a large dumpster.
“Zillion? What the stars are you doing here?” he demanded as Racar knelt next to the other warrior, checking him over.
“Emperor?” Zillion asked with confusion, blinking up at him.
“Get some light on him,” Dex snapped. “Racar, check him over. Torex, check the rest of the alley. Jaxan, with me.”
“I will come with you also,” Rohan stated.
At the moment, Dex did not care what he did. That tightness in his stomach was growing and it became a full-fledged burn by the time he turned the backroom of the drinking establishment upside down.
No Zoey.
And no Nassir or Boris either.
Dex reached for Zoey again. This time there wasn’t just a block—there was nothing. He did not like to think what that meant.
“Could they have returned to the palace?” Rohan suggested.
“Not without telling me.” He returned to Zillion who was now resting back against the building.
“Zillion. What happened?” Dex asked without preamble. He didn’t have time for niceties. He needed to locate his mate.
Zillion winced. “They are gone?”
“Yes.” He resisted the urge to snap at the other male while Racar tended his wound.
“They must have stunned me and left me behind,” he said. “I suppose they thought I would bleed to death before I was found.”
“Who?”
“I do not know,” Zillion said.
Dex held onto his patience by the merest thread but Zillion must have sensed how close to the edge he was, because he spoke hurriedly. “The one in charge was short, thin. The female called him Tazan. There were others as well, but their faces were in shadow. They were large. They seemed to be there for Nassir. They said something about returning her to her uncle.”
Dex stilled. “Why did they take Zoey and Boris?”
Zillion winced. “The Empress was not going to let them take her. I do not know why, but she seems to feel some loyalty to that woman. Boris should have quieted her.”
Dex knew why. Because Zoey considered Nassir a friend, and she was extremely loyal to her friends. It was one of the qualities he loved most about her. And while it occasionally got her into trouble he would have her act no other way.
And Boris would never silence Zoey. Dex knew Zoey didn’t see Boris as her guard. He was her friend. And it went both ways.
“Boris jumped in front of the females and was stunned. Then this male, Tazan, stunned me.”
“Boris cares about Nassir,” Jaxan said quietly.
Dex looked at him in surprise. He did?
“He is very protective of her,” Racar added. “He was furious with me when he thought I was scaring her.”
Dex nodded then looked at Zillion. “How were you injured?”
“I was fighting a Teagan in the drinking establishment after the fighting erupted. I would have won had Boris not snatched me away.”
“There was a fight?”
Zillion hissed as Racar pressed on his leg. “Yes. It broke out when this purple creature dared to touch the Empress.”
Dex let out a deep breath, trying to control the rage burning inside him. Losing his temper would help no one, least of all Zoey.
“Do you know why she was there?” He fully expected to hear how she was upset with him. How he had disappointed her.
“I do not. It was only coincidence that I was passing by and saw them enter this establishment.”
No answers there then. Why had he not paid more attention to Nassir, questioned her further? He had made the mistake of thinking her harmless because she was female.
“We must find out who Nassir is.”
“Why would someone wish to take her?” Rohan queried.
“Last time we met her she was on the run from the bounty hunter, Tazan. Her uncle hired him.”
“The bounty hunter called her princess,” Zillion said with a groan. “Perhaps that will help.”
“Racar, take him back to the palace, get him to a regen chamber and then all return to our ship. We will be leaving soon. Torex, go with them.”
Torex nodded and picked Zillion up, placing him over his shoulder. “What have you been eating? You weigh more than an ellie beast.”
“Boris had no issue with carrying me. Have you perhaps grown weaker in your old age?” Zillion griped back.
Dex tuned them out, turning to Rohan.
“How will you find out who Nassir is?”
“Easy. I will check the bounty hunter sites for wanted lists. She must be on there somewhere.”
Chapter Nine
Nassir opened her eyes. Blinking rapidly, she took in her surroundings. She’d learned to do that, to not panic when she first woke and didn’t know where she was. Having a panic attack in a dark alley was not ideal. Not when there were things out there just waiting for a hint of weakness before they pounced.
Where was she? Gray walls, gray floor, gray ceiling. Someone had very little imagination when it came to décor. A quiet humming noise filled the room.
Was she on a spaceship?
She sat slowly and looked around, her gaze immediately hitting a pair of dark purple eyes. Eyes that studied her so intently she felt herself immediately flush with heat.
Then she realized he wasn’t moving. She sat up as panic flooded her, her body moving sluggishly.
“Boris! Boris, are you all right?” She scrambled towards him, but her limbs weren’t working properly and she sprawled flat to the floor, her legs and arms shooting out from under her.
Now that was embarrassing.
A warm arm slid beneath her chest, brushing against her nipples, making her groan. Boris pulled her up then set onto her feet.
The man was strong. And lethal. And she wasn’t talking about his fighting skills. She looked up into his gaze, her heart racing, her body trembling, powerless to resist him. He pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her tightly.
Her breath came in hard pants. “Wh-where are Zoey and Zillion?”
She wasn’t certain if she wanted to know.
He turned and pointed at the curled body of Zoey across the far end of the room, lying under the only light.
“Oh Gods, is she all right?”
She tried to move towards her, but Boris held her back. He shook his head, placing his finger over his closed lips.
“She’s sleeping? You want me to be quiet?”
He nodded and drew them back further into a dark corner across the room.
“Of course, she’s all right, you wouldn’t leave her if she wasn’t.”
He stared down at her curiously.
She swallowed heavily. She hadn’t meant to sound so…well…jealous.
“I just meant that you take very good care of her. You must really care about her.”
He gave one short nod.
She smiled tremulously. “Must be nice to have someone care about you so much. When I had guar…” Her voice dropped off as she realized what she’d been about to say. And she had no doubt that he’d heard her.
The man missed nothing.
“I am certain that Zoey is very pleased to have you guarding her,” she added rather lamely. She’d never babbled in her life, but there was something about him, maybe it was his watchfulness or how quiet he was, that made her nervous.
Or maybe it was simply her reaction to him that put her on edge. The way her body heated, her heart racing, desire filling her.
He still held her against him and as nice as it felt, she really shouldn’t allow it to continue.
“You-you can let me go now. I promise I’m not going to fall on my face again. I cannot believe I did that.”
He just tightened his hold on her. What was going on? Did he want her next to
him? She wiggled against him and he grunted. She froze. Had she hurt him?
It was only then that she became aware of the thick hardening of his shaft against her stomach. He was aroused.
By her. She had that effect on him.
The nerves faded slightly under a boost of confidence.
“I think you should let me go. What if Zoey wakes up and needs us? What if Tazan and his men come back? I know you must have…”
He interrupted her mid-sentence by placing his mouth against hers. Rude, but effective. His mouth was hot, the sizzle burning its way through her body. Her legs melted and it was only that strong, bracing arm that kept her from falling once more.
When he pulled back, she felt slightly dazed and definitely breathless.
“So, I guess it’s safe to say there’s nothing wrong with you.”
He gave her a small smile and it transformed his face. The scars on the left side of his face just added to his appeal in her opinion. He looked wicked. Dangerous. Often cold and stern.
When he smiled, she…she couldn’t resist him.
“You don’t smile often, do you? But when you do…” She traced a finger across his lips and he drew back with a flinch.
She snatched her finger back. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know I wasn’t sup—”
He interrupted her apology with a soft kiss. He licked along the seam of her lips and she opened her mouth, wanting more. But he moved so slowly, so gently. She made an irritated noise in the back of her throat and gripped at the back of his neck, trying to press his face down. She wanted hard, hot, and fast.
Boris drew back and she frowned up at him. “Kiss me,” she demanded, shocking herself.
But he didn’t give her time to ponder how crazed she sounded. He kissed her and it was hard and overwhelming and everything she wanted and more. He slid his hand around to cup her breast. Oh stars. She whimpered, that spot deep inside her ached with a need she didn’t quite understand. What was happening to her? This wasn’t her. This passionate, needy creature wasn’t the same woman who less than two years ago couldn’t bring herself to hold Flencix’s hand. Of course, Boris’ hands were nothing like Flencix. They were hard, a little rough, and very, very talented.
