Kyle blustered for a few seconds. “You have to admit the whole thing was strange.”
“When did you steal from me?” Dani snapped the question.
“While we were cleaning up after lunch. I only took one piece of jewelry.”
“I want you out of my home. Right now.” She bounced up, knocking her chair over and only Lateef’s quick grab avoided a crash to the floor. “If you need any more information from me you will have to go through my legal representative.”
“This isn’t a legal matter.” Kyle stood his ground.
“Then you have no right to be here. I want you to leave.”
“You need to tell me what you know.”
“I don’t need to do anything.” Dani started around the table, nearly tripping over the anxious dog.
“Dani, you need to calm down. I’m only trying to help you.” Kyle raised his hand in a placating gesture.
“Don’t,” she interrupted. “I’m not your friend. You spent time in my home because I didn’t have the energy to kick you out. Now I want you to leave.”
Abby ran to the backdoor, barked furiously, let out a frightened yelp and ran to press her shaking body against Dani’s legs.
A loud bang on the back door brought the argument to an abrupt end.
Chapter Eighteen
“Taltos.” Dani breathed the name as she locked gazes with the stern-faced warrior through the window of her back door. Her heart sank to her shoes then raced with a spike of adrenaline as her mind spun into high gear. “You have to go, Lateef. Run out the front door. I’ll keep them occupied.” She forced her head to turn to face her love.
“It’s too late.”
Lateef’s tone was calm, but she could see lines of tension around his eyes. He lowered his mental shields enough to send a wave of soothing emotion at her, but there was an undercurrent of self-recrimination that made the hairs on her arms stand up.
He swallowed hard and nodded toward the door. “It will be okay. Let them in before he gets angry.”
She stared at him until an impatient pounding at the door shook her out of her stupor.
“Go on,” he urged. She walked slowly as Lateef quickly instructed Kyle.
“I recommend you say and do nothing to antagonize these visitors,” he said. “They shouldn’t cause you any problems as long as they get what they want.”
“And what do they want?” Anger still bubbled underneath the PI’s bland expression. Dani opened the door, and the men fell silent.
“Good morning, Taltos.” She nodded at the familiar visitor. “I didn’t expect you, but it won’t take long to whip up some more pancakes. Would you like to come in and wait?”
“Not this time, Master Chef.” The regretful look he shot at the nearly full plates on the table said more than words how sorry he was. “I cannot be distracted again. You must come with me and speak to Thane Hantili.”
“Okay. I’ll grab some shoes and we can go. Be right back.” She started to close the door, but he stuck out a hand to prevent it.
“Your guests must also come.” He gestured to the two men still near the table. “We have been searching for one of them for quite some time.”
She frowned. “I don’t think you want Kyle to go anywhere,” she said. “He was getting ready to go back to his office. His boss expects him back soon.”
“Then his boss shall be disappointed.” The expression on the alien’s face firmed as his companions reached for their weapons. “You will all come with me.”
He took a couple of steps into the spacious kitchen forcing Dani back, but she could see the armed men in her yard, and she got a glimpse of the nightmare creature from several nights ago, at the far edge of her yard. She gulped, feeling the stirrings of panic in her gut.
“Why don’t you go get your shoes on, Dani?” Lateef said. “No one will fight you, Sir Taltos. We are at your disposal.”
“Yes, you are.”
The anger in the gaze he turned on Lateef chilled Dani’s marrow. She swiftly ran upstairs and pulled on thick socks and her most comfortable pair of hiking shoes, not truly wanting to leave the men alone. She wasn’t sure what she would find when she returned.
She flew back downstairs to find Kyle and Lateef leaning against the kitchen counter, putting on an air of confidence. The alien men remained near the door watching. Abby was pressed tightly against Lateef’s legs until she saw Dani. Then the dog shot across the room with a panicked whine, trying to climb into her arms. Dani knelt and gathered her shaggy friend to her in an effort to soothe the completely unnerved dog.
“I need to call a friend to take care of Abby.” She looked up to meet the dark eyes of her captor.
“We must go now.” Taltos stared over her head.
“I need to call Charlie,” she pleaded. “I can leave her in the house and he’ll come by and get her later.”
The alien merely shook his head.
“I can’t abandon my dog!” The raw pain in her voice made him meet her gaze. “She’s my responsibility and I can’t leave her locked in the house to starve or turn her out into the woods to be eaten by a bear or coyote.”
Taltos considered for a second. “The furry one should remain in this dwelling. We must go.” His tone was implacable as one of his men grabbed the doorknob.
“No.” The agonized cry burst from Dani as she hugged the frantic dog. Lateef took a step toward Dani and three weapons cleared holsters to point at his heart.
“Be cautious, o defiler of kitchens. My Thane has requested your presence, but he did not care if you still drew breath.”
Everyone froze. The only sound in the house was the quiet whimpers and yips of the terrified dog until Kyle let out a snort of laughter.
“Defiler of kitchens?” The look he gave Lateef was full of disbelief. “That’s a thing?”
Taltos’s face darkened and his aim shifted to Kyle.
“Whoa!” Kyle’s hands flew up and his eyes widened in alarm.
Dani rose to her feet, speaking quickly to defuse the situation. “He doesn’t understand, Taltos. Neither does Abby. Let me call a friend to take care of her and we’ll go with you, no problem.”
“We must leave now.” The alien’s jaw tightened belligerently.
“Dani’s right. I have no clue what’s going on here, but I know her. You’ll get out of here faster if you just let her make a call. She doesn’t lose arguments.” Kyle’s hands remained in the air, and he shrugged as all eyes turned his direction. “You know I’m right.”
Taltos growled an obvious curse under his breath. “Quickly then. Do not reveal our presence.”
“I won’t. Thank you.” She managed to get to the phone without tripping over the still frantic dog and dialed Anna’s home phone.
“Hey, Charlie.” Her hands shook when she heard the familiar rough voice, but she managed to keep her own tone steady. “No, I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong, but I need a huge favor. I have to go out of town and I can’t take Abby. Would you mind keeping her for a few days?” Her eyes shot to Taltos, hoping he would indicate the trip would be shorter, but the dark eyes gave her no information.
When Charlie reluctantly agreed, her shoulders slumped with a release of tension. She continued quickly before he could ask any questions. “Thank you so much. Tell Anna hi for me, will you? I’ll see you in a few days. I’ll leave the back door unlocked. Yes, I’ll explain then. I promise. No—there’s nothing to worry about.” She glanced at Taltos and shuddered at the look of impatience on his rounded face. “I’m not sure when, but everything will be fine. I promise.”
She pushed the disconnect button on the phone and gave the dog a final squeeze. “You be good for Charlie and Anna. He’ll be here as fast as he can.”
She followed the men out the door, her heart breaking as she shut the frantic dog in. When she caught anothe
r glimpse of the feathered creature moving in the distance, she knew she’d done the right thing. Abby was a great companion, but she was no adventurer. She would not do well exploring strange new worlds. When you came right down to brass tacks, Dani wasn’t much of adventurer herself. But then she felt Lateef’s feather light touch on her mind and she knew it would be okay. Somehow, her life would all work out. It had to. She couldn’t stand to lose everything she cared about again. They would all have to survive this confrontation.
****
Dani shivered as a gust of cold wind tugged strands of hair out of her ponytail. The sunny morning sky had been replaced by dark storm clouds and she was glad she had taken the extra few minutes to put on sturdy boots and grab a jacket.
“It is not much farther.” Taltos slowed to walk beside her as the strange group started up yet another steep hill. “Our transport is on the other side of this rise.”
Dani winced as Kyle’s feet slipped out from under him and he fell heavily to his knees. The PI had arrived at her door in his expensive suit and slippery, leather-soled shoes completely unsuited for their present situation. She was relieved when the alien guard helped him to his feet and made sure he was okay before urging him on again. Maybe this won’t be too bad?
A quick glance at the aliens around Lateef trashed that idea. They all appeared to be contemplating throwing the healer down the hill once they finally reached the top. And then maybe dragging him back up to toss him down again. She hoped he didn’t slip on his own.
“Where are…” The words stuck in her throat as she topped the rise and saw two obviously alien craft parked in the wide valley below. She froze in disbelief.
Taltos grabbed her arm and urged her to continue walking. “You must hurry, Chef Danielle Hamilton. We must be aboard the shuttle before the Jangxing crew arrives. It will be eager to return home and is sometimes… careless and hard to control. My job is to ensure you arrive safely.”
Dani’s feet moved faster in spite of her shock at the undeniable reality of spaceships in front of her. The colorful, triangular shapes perched on tall, thin legs with no obvious sign of any kind of engine or windows or any sign of life, until the back end of the nearest ship slowly extended a ramp. Crap. Guess I didn’t really believe they were aliens. This has got to be one of those bizarre dreams.
Lateef made a final plea as the group bunched before entering the ship. “Sir Taltos, I beg you to leave the Terrans here. Their planet has not yet developed true spaceflight and they are not aware of our customs. I will go with you willingly.”
Taltos glared at the shorter healer, obviously struggling to keep his rage under tight control. “You will come with us, willing or not, you defiler. We have a shield which blocks your teleportation so you shall remain until honor has been restored.”
Kyle let out a sharp laugh. “Now I know this all a nightmare. Teleportation and blocking shields, my great-aunt Matilda.” He tried to sit on the damp ground, but his guards grabbed his arms to drag him up the ramp.
Lateef planted his feet as he drew near Dani, bringing his escort to a halt. “I beg you to release them, Sir Taltos. I will not try to escape. My people are not your enemies.”
“That is for Thane Hantili to decide.” Taltos gestured and the guard knocked Lateef’s feet out from under him, and grabbed his arms to drag him onto the ship.
A burst of static hit Dani as Lateef crossed the threshold and her knees wobbled at the flash of pain. She reached for the lost contact with Lateef, but felt only a cold void.
“Madam Chef?” One of the crew members held out a hand to help her up the steep ramp and she accepted with a mental sigh of resignation. Her eyelid twitched and her brain itched as she passed an invisible barrier. She paused near the top of the ramp as a rank smell assaulted her nose. Near the top of the hill she saw a group of the alien men herding the Jangxing toward the other, larger ship and was glad they would not be sharing a ride.
Dani allowed her escort to help her into one of the padded, reclining seats that filled the large space like the seats on a more familiar airplane. Kyle and Lateef were already strapped in and all three of them were as far apart as they could be in the space. She nervously ran the black pearls of her necklace through her fingers, trying to relax as her guard adjusted her harness and made sure she was comfortable.
An alarm blared and Dani jumped.
“Don’t worry.” Her guard reassured her as he finished buckling his own harness. “Yanok is a very good pilot.”
She grinned weakly before a sudden burst of acceleration pushed her back into her seat cushions. Her vision blurred and she mentally reached out for Lateef, but felt static instead of the warm mental presence she craved. She must be fated to be alone.
A seeming eternity later the heavy force eased. She turned back to her guard, proud her voice sounded normal. “Where are you taking us?” Very little time had passed in the real world, but those seconds of high acceleration had felt endless. Anxiety gnawed at her gut.
“To the Alalakh, our city-ship, Madame Chef. Thane Hantili wishes to meet you. You have no need to fear.”
“What about my companions?” Fear gripped her with his emphasis on the word you.
She caught the hard look the man shot in Lateef’s direction and groaned internally.
“They will get what they deserve. Thank you for the meals. I was lucky enough to partake in both of them. My cabin mate is very jealous.”
She blushed at the compliment, hearing the capital letter on the word meal. “You’re welcome. But I didn’t do anything special. There wasn’t enough time to get fancy.”
The man shuddered. “The food was appropriate for a Middle Festival at the least. You are truly a modest Master. Again, I thank you for the incredible experience.”
Dani continued to run her pearls through her fingers as she tried to process the inexplicable admiration. “What did you like the best?” She wanted a distraction from her dire thoughts. She tried to check on Kyle and Lateef, but they were hidden by the tall seats.
Her seat-mate considered her question seriously and she found herself interested in his answer despite her fear.
“I think the potato dish was my favorite,” he finally answered. “Although the grilled fish was a close second. Your family must be very powerful to possess such recipes. Would you ever consider merging with another Clan?”
Her mouth gaped and her eyes widened. Only half of what he had said made any kind of sense. Merge with another clan?
“I don’t have a recipe for either one of those.” She would ignore the merger question in case it was some bizarre, alien marriage proposal. “I just kind of throw things in a pan and hope for the best.”
The look he gave her screamed disbelief.
“I swear. I chunk up some potatoes and throw them in a pan with some butter and onions and garlic and add a bunch of seasoning. Fresh herbs are better, but dried will do in a pinch.”
He gaped at her.
“That’s all there is to the dish.” His reaction increased her anxiety. “I usually use the potatoes I grow in my garden, but you can use any low to medium starch variety. My personal favorites are the Klondike Gold’s mixed with some Purple Majesty and Colorado Rose, but it works with anything. You can change things up by substituting some turnips to cut down on the carb count. And if you really want to jazz it up, you can throw in some crumbled bacon and gorgonzola cheese.”
“You are truly willing to share your secrets so freely? Will your clan not lose status?”
His scandalized tone and the shocked glares of the nearby Hatti momentarily glued her tongue to the roof of her mouth. Careful, stupid. These guys don’t see the world the way you do.
“My family was killed several years ago, so there’s no one to lose status.” She closed her eyes against the pang of remembered pain. “And I don’t have any cooking secrets.” She opened her eyes
to meet her seat-mate’s distressed gaze.
“You are clan-less?” Horror and astonishment battled on the alien face, but Dani felt nothing but sympathy from her odd companion. “You are truly a strong Master Chef, Danielle Hamilton. Perhaps Thane Hantili may find…” His sentence cut off abruptly as a companion poked him from behind and he abruptly changed the subject. “Do you grow all of your own vegetables?”
Dani was baffled, but went along with it, describing her garden and the intricacies of ordering food online as the nearby aliens joined the conversation. Soon there was a lively debate pitting her dishes against some of their own favorites.
The announcement they were ready to dock ended the conversation. All of the crewmembers settled back into their chairs, and Dani copied them, prepared for another burst of massive acceleration. She was pleasantly surprised to feel no more than a gentle nudge before a loud clang reverberated through the passenger cabin. The three prisoners were quickly escorted off the transport and guided between several parked shuttles into a wide corridor.
“Can you believe this?” Kyle’s amazed whisper was magnified by the immense space.
Dani tried to slow her steps to let the PI catch up with her as they approached a branching corridor, but her escort gently took her arm.
“Please come with me.” Her former seat-mate’s grip provided a not-so-subtle reminder she was not exactly a guest. She threw one last glance at Kyle and Lateef, receiving nods of reassurance from each and then followed into the wide, featureless corridor without protest.
Chapter Nineteen
Dani followed her escort through a labyrinth of identical corridors apparently designed to confuse visitors. Junctions were marked by stylized icons that vaguely resembled flowers, but the only place labeled with anything close to words was a double-door with round windows like an elevator or subway train. She’d been hurried past before getting a close enough look to see if the door hid some kind of transportation system.
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