Текст книги "The Alien's Handler"

Автор книги: Gemma Voss

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Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 12 страниц)

Chapter 24

KILA

“We’re being followed,” Vala says as we round a corner at top speed.

“You are driving like a maniac,” Kiva shouts as he knocks against the interior wall of the door. Pakka and Mori have braced themselves against the ceiling, contrastingly un-flustered by the turbulence.

“Four armed combatants in the vehicle trailing us,” Mori says. “There are two males with weapons at the house we are approaching. One is unarmed. Two females, one is presumably Ella, and another.”

Vala jerks his arm to get our attention. “Straightaways here. Shoot the tires.”

Without speaking, we glance at Pakka. He’s our best shot and he’s already moving. He slides toward the back doors which open out. Cracking one side open, he slips his arm out with stinger in hand. He’s braced against the side, staring through the window. He hesitates for a couple seconds before he unleashes four shots in succession.

“Get down,” he says.

I slide down in my seat. Mori, Pakka, and Kiva hit the floor as human bullets begin firing at the back of the van. Vala swerves to deter accuracy. They’re not hitting us for long though, because Pakka’s shots slowed them down.

“I only hit three,” he gripes. I drop the window and take a good look behind us. The pursuit vehicle is slowing to a stop, and I can see our enemies emerging from the car.

“We’re close,” Mori warns. “They can pursue on foot.”

“What’s that?” Kiva asks, pointing to his scanner.

“That’s assumed Ella. She’s on the move,” he says. “She’s still inside the house, but she’s by a window now.”

I climb out of my seat and join them in the back. “Show me where she is. I will go to her there.”

Pakka nods. “Kila heads for Ella. Mori, back him up. Kiva and I will enter the house from the front entrance. Vala stays in the driver’s seat, ready for the pursuers on foot. Stingers set to incapacitate. Local authorities should arrive in less than ten.”

“Arriving!” Vala calls out. Then, we swerve and sail over rocky gravel ground.

I hold my breath. The familiar calm before battle washes over me, a sensation I haven’t felt since leaving my military assignment.

Pakka grips my arm. “Control,” he whispers.

“I promise nothing,” I say. “But I will try.”

“Move out,” Vala directs as he slams the brakes.

Mori’s first, sliding the van door open and hopping out. I follow him, eyes on the side of the house, searching the windows.

Then, I hear it.

“KILA!” The strained voice of my mate, screaming my name. My neck prickles, and I am sure that my eyes have blackened in seconds.

“Ella!” I am no longer aware of my team. I sprint towards the sound of her voice. It is dark, and the dwelling is flanked by bulky greenery. I crash through these prickly bushes, and when I emerge I can see her.

She’s on the ground and there is a man on top of her. I am incensed. A ferocious growl rips from my throat, the likes of which I did not know I could produce.

I am on him in a moment, tearing him away from her and tossing him at the side of the building. He slaps the wall and crumples. I want to tear his throat out. I want to see his face as I pummel his ribs into jelly.

Control, I remind myself.

I pull the stinger from my belt and shoot my mate’s assailant twice with drop-stings. He goes limp and I turn away, desperate to have her in my arms.

Click.

The unmistakable sound of a human gun cocking.

I freeze. There is a second man, half hanging out of the small window by the ground. He has a gun trained on me. Though he’s not at the most advantageous position, one shot to the head would end me.

“No!” Ella shouts, but claps her hands over her own mouth quickly.

“Bitch,” he addresses her. My fist clenches. “Move an inch and I shoot this freak.”

Ella and I exchange a look, and unspoken emotions pass between us. Even in the low light, I can tell her face has been hit. It’s swollen and her lip is bloody. The state of her clothing would be more fitting if she had been dropped in a forest of thorns. It fills me with rage, but I cannot move. I begin to calculate. If I duck and charge him quickly, will he miss my head? My vitals are covered by Kar’Kali armor, so surely I could dispatch him even if he shoots me anywhere else…

He is climbing out of the window, grunting with his gun trained on me. Ella is shaking her head in my direction, tears coming from her eyes. She is silently begging me not to “do anything stupid”, as she might say. As long as he does not go near her now, I will let him go. As long as his only plan is escape—

The sound of gunfire makes me flinch. Ella screams and launches herself at the man with a small weapon. She swings her arm and viciously stabs him through his foot.

“Ella,” I cry, jumping into action.

The man folds with a gurgle of surprise, letting off a shot from his gun that glances against the side of the house. He falls over, a drop-sting protruding from his throat.

Mori rustles out of the bush behind us. “Apologies for the delay. Needed a good angle.”

I skid to my knees beside Ella and drag her away from the man’s now-limp body.

She is sobbing, digging her fingers into my arms like she’s afraid I’ll disappear. “Oh my… Kila, I thought it was you. I thought he shot you! I thought—” Her words dissolve into incoherent gasps of emotion.

I pull her against my chest gently and she lolls into me weakly.

“I am fine. I am here,” I whisper as I stroke her hair. “You are safe now.”

Mori walks over, inspecting the dropped kidnappers. “Both of these men have stab wounds,” he comments. “Kila?”

“This fierce viki is responsible for that,” I say, cradling her in my arms and lifting her from the ground. Mori and I stop to appreciate the blunt metal tool that sticks out of one of the attackers’ shoes. She lodged it straight into his instep.

Sirens blare down the otherwise quiet street.

We walk out to the front of the dwelling to meet the local authorities and the emergency medical vehicles. The cars cram halfway up the gravel drive and park just in front of four bodies that have been drop-stung. Vala leans against the van, arms crossed lazily over his chest as he watches their approach.

“Kila,” Ella murmurs, fisting the front of my shirt in her hand. “You know I love you, right? I don’t know why I didn’t say before, but I love you so much. I just don’t know what I would do if—”

“Do not worry yourself,” I tell her. “Rest your eyes. You are safe now, and we can talk of many things when you are rested and healthy.”

She nods slowly and nestles into my shoulder, sniffling. I can’t stand to see her swollen face, her pained winces. It is all I can do not to hand her off to Mori while I turn on my heel and brutally murder each and every drop-stung beast that helped to do this to her. But I couldn’t bear to release her from my arms now, so I will settle for having them arrested.

The human authorities begin to flood the property, and Vala calmly explains to them what has happened. They are a bit confused, but quickly enter the house with their guns cautiously raised.

They emerge with a young female, with her arms cuffed behind her back. Just behind this, Pakka and Kiva spill out the door. Pakka is supporting Kiva—no, in fact, restraining the male– as they cross the threshold.

Red blood pours from Kiva’s face as he struggles vigorously against Pakka’s grip.

“You can’t let them just take her away like this! She is not a criminal,” he shouts. “Pakka, tell them to stop!”

The female eyes Kiva over her shoulder, in shock, as the human authorities lead her across the greenery to the gravel drive.

Mori claps me on my shoulder as he grins at the chaotic scene developing before us. “You know, you were correct about the chips bringing feeling to the surface. I have not had such good fun since… Eh, I cannot remember. I feel like laughing.”

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Chapter 25

ELLA

“I once questioned the need for so many, but I now consider them quite beneficial,” Kila says as he fluffs one of my pillows and props it up under my knees.

I lay fully reclined on my bed, propped up by a perfectly engineered arrangement of pillows. Not a single limb is unsupported. My hot alien boyfriend has turned into a nursemaid right before my very eyes. In my underwear and a tank top with just the two of us in my cozy apartment, I can finally relax.

I chuckle at his fussing, but wince immediately at the way my bruised ribs ache from the movement.

“Do not laugh!” he demands, his face as serious as the grave.

“I can’t help it if you look at me like that! Will you sit down? I’m fine. I feel wonderful. Relax,” I tell him firmly. He sighs heavily and then complies, softly seating himself at the foot of the bed.

“Mmm,” I hum appreciatively when he begins rubbing my elevated feet. “I love you.”

His black eyes twinkle up at me in reply. “And I you,” he whispers. “I feel complete.”

“That’s the hormones talking,” I tease him. He takes the bait so quickly.

“Do not say that!” he protests. “Ella, we’re putting all of that behind us no—”

I start to giggle again briefly before the pain sets my teeth gritting. He tightens his grip on my ankle and gives me a pleading look.

“Alright, alright, no laughing,” I say, showing him my palms in surrender.

“I’ll never forgive myself for what happened,” he says. “If only we had appeared in public with you, or if I had given Pakka a talking to about our relationship before—”

“Shush,” I snap. “I don’t want to hear that talk. It’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault but the men that broke into the building and decided to snag me as a bonus.”

He shakes his head. “There are more responsible, but nothing will done about them.”

My stomach sinks. This morning, when I was released from the hospital, we received some concerning news. While the men that Kila and his team so efficiently incapacitated on the night of my rescue have been arrested, the rest of their organization will continue to operate. The authorities were unable to find evidence clear enough to link the break-in and my kidnapping to their official group, The Exile Squad. Stupid assholes with a stupid name. If they had their way, I know I would have been at that compound and I don’t want to think of what else they would have done to me. The investigator that interviewed me would not tell me what the un-rescued victims had endured. I shiver just remembering that they are out there, plotting their next move.

According to Jen, the information they stole from the facility could be dangerous, as it includes the names and contact information for every staff member. They also took files on the Kar’Kali genocide. Jen said they must have thought they could try to use the bioweapon formula on humans here on Earth without realizing how utterly useless it is now. “Somehow I doubt they have to chops to synthesize the pheromones of a Mitskaa fog monster,” Jen had said. “HA! Friggin’ idiots.” I’m still not finding the humor in it myself, but that’s for the best since laughter makes me spasm in pain.

“I didn’t get a chance to say how proud of you I am,” I say, smiling as I reach to him, signaling that he should hold my hand.

He frowns and lays his head on my leg pillow. He nestles between my legs and takes my flexing hand in his own. “What can you mean?” he asks.

“I know you were in Alpha male rage mode. And you did the right thing. You proved everyone wrong, including yourself I might add, by not ripping any throats out.”

“I must admit I often regret that,” he grumbles.

“Take my compliment! Don’t make an injured woman get up to smack you,” I warn him.

“Apologies.” He laughs and opens my hand so he can kiss the inside of my palm. “Your pride in me is more than I deserve. But I am filled with joy at the thought of it.”

“Good enough,” I say. “But seriously, you didn’t maim a single person!”

He grows quiet, then glances at me with slitted eyes.

“What?” I exclaim. “Kila! Did you…?”

His fingers stroke my palm and wrist.

“Kila! Who did you maim—”

“Lightly,” he corrects in a silky voice. “Lightly maimed.”

“Well, who?” I ask.

“Please don’t be upset,” he sighs. “But I extracted some information from Vic Williams. I might have broken a finger. I was more than willing to begin cutting him in the Kar’Kali way, but he broke in a matter of seconds.”

A broken finger? I snort. Maybe I am in a harsh mood, but I have no sympathy for Vic.

“I don’t know what I thought you were going to say, but … well, I can’t bring myself to feel bad about that,” I mutter.

“Yes,” he agrees. “Kiva said he would stop me from killing him if it became necessary.”

“Oh yeah,” I say, squeezing down on his hand to grab his attention. He lifts his head to smile at me from between my legs. It distracts me for a moment to see him so close to the cunnilingus position. His cheek rests against my inner thigh, tantalizingly close to the promise-land. “About Kiva…”

He must be reading mind, expression perking into a naughty one. He snakes up closer to my crotch and murmurs, “I don’t wish to speak of Kiva now. Other thoughts have intruded.”

A breathy sigh releases from my lips as he runs his fingers lightly over the seam of my panties.

He hesitates. “Ella, are you well enough to be licked? What if I—”

“I’ve heard that orgasms ease pain,” I interrupt.

Smirking at my insistence, he resumes his gentle teasing between my legs. He rubs with such delicate movements that it sends goosebumps racing over my thighs.

“You’ve heard?” he repeats. “I don’t know… I could hurt you.”

“Baby, it’s sweet that you’re worried, but just start licking me now,” I say. It’s killing me to see him hovering there with those delicious lips so close to my center. Heat is quickly flooding between my legs as he slides his fingers under the lacy trim and pulls the fabric away.

“Anything to please you,” he whispers. I feel his breath tickle my inner thigh. I close my eyes and let everything else outside of our room fall away.

Things aren’t fixed, not by a long shot, and I know deep down that there’s a chance they never will be. Kila treats me like a treasured piece of porcelain that will need to be cared for until I am better, but I know that he’s been through much worse than me. One day of trauma is nothing to the horrors of war that he’s seen and the loss that he experienced only a handful of weeks earlier. But now that his team is on his side—on our side—I know that we’ll heal. They don’t want to admit it in words, but I’ve noticed a transformation between Kila and the others. It makes me wonder what was said while I was taken away. They might be close to becoming a real family. It might take some teeth-pulling on my end, but I know I can show them how to accept the love and do it Earth-style. I’m going to make it my new mission… whether those stubborn aliens like it or not. If the way Kila’s working my body is any indication, I can trust that the Kar’Kali are fast learners with the right instruction.

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About the Author

Gemma Voss writes steamy SciFi Romance novels featuring flirtatious banter, sexual tension, intergalactic misunderstandings, happily ever afters, and a dash of mortal peril. She lives on Earth, drinks far too much coffee, and loves to curl up with a good book.

Thank you for reading!

Check out a sneak preview of Kiva’s story on the next page…

Email: gemmavossbooks@gmail.com

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Sneak Preview

MAX

I am standing in my kitchen with a baseball bat, wondering how the hell I ended up with this life.

I never asked this world to saddle me with a household full of criminals and a kidnapped woman in my laundry room.

A footstep creaks on the top of the landing. I can’t be certain who it is, but I’m pretty sure that I’m better off clocking them with my bat before they have a chance to hurt me.

Aside from the creak of my floors, its suspiciously quiet. That makes me suspect that my pursuer is one of the mystery men that pulled up on my lawn in a van. I ran from the door before I could get a good look at them, but I know what they’re here for. Chris and Zach aren’t capable of moving so quietly that I can’t hear them.

It would be no better if it was them, I remind myself. If they come back from subduing their captive, I’ll be their first target. They don’t need it to be true to accuse me of not lifting a finger to help when the pretty brunette hair-sprayed Lionel right in the eyeball. It is true, because I hate that guy’s guts, but they’d accuse me of anything if it gave them free reign to rough me up for fun. I was so certain that girl was delusional when she said someone was coming for her. I even laughed.

I’m not laughing now. In fact, I’m holding my breath so hard I think my head might explode.

Creaakk

Thank God for this old house. The man must be in the living room, on the other side of the wall from me. I step slowly to the left, knowing he will come through the dining area and around the corner to check the kitchen. I wait, my back against the edge of the archway, heart pounding. My palms are sweaty on the smooth black handle of my Louisville slugger.

Creaaaakkkk

He’s so close to me that I hear an intake of breath. I grip down and leap into action. Before he has a chance to touch me, I raise my arms and smack down hard.

It’s a fucking alien.

A grunt of pain and surprise comes from the beast, who looks like he’s made of metal. I’m a tall woman, and I meant to hit him on the head, but this guy is so huge I’ve connected flat against his nose, which starts spurting with blue blood. He’s so fascinating to look at, I can’t rip my eyes away. Blue hair? Silver skin? He has big eyes that slant a little, giving him a quite innocent appearance. They’re currently fixed on me, wide-eyed in alarm. It strikes me that he’s the most human-looking alien I’ve ever seen.

He stares at me. I stare at him. That goes on for far too long.

I come crashing back to reality and turn to run from him. He grabs for my wrist and whips me back around, causing my bat to clatter to the floor.

He starts jabbering at me in his language softly, eyes flickering over me from head to toe. His nose goes on bleeding as he surveys me with concern. He’s used to talking to someone with a translator.

“I can’t understand you!” I tug my arm away and clutch it against my chest. “And don’t touch me,” I snap, raising my chin at him. Never show fear. Never. That’s the motto.

“You are safe,” he says slowly in his accented English. He points to himself. “Help.”

His blood is changing color right before my eyes– from blue to red– as it flows from the nose that I’m sure I’ve broken. I’m so confused by his quiet, earnest words, by his dizzying appearance and concern for me that I simply stare, wordless for a moment. He thinks I’m a victim, like that other girl. He thinks I’m in need of saving.

“You are in shock,” he says, ignoring his bloodied nose. “Sit down.”

I’m caught between a question of whether to lie or run. My body is telling me run, so I back away from him slowly. If he keeps considering me a frightened little mouse type for the time being, he’ll give me space and then I can book it without him grabbing me again.

“My name is Kiva,” he says with a friendly smile. “I promise I won’t hurt you. You’re safe.”

It must be the panic that makes me want to let out a big laugh at that. He doesn’t have any idea how wrong he is. How I’ll never be safe. I shake my head, and he watches me curiously. I notice the slightest relaxation in the set of his shoulders and decide now’s as good a time as any. The police sirens start just as I spin and sprint down the hall toward the upstairs bedroom. I already know what I’ll do. I’ve thought about it a hundred times. If I climb out the window of my dad’s old room I’ll be directly above the massive rhododendron and it will break my fall. An okay plan if I can execute—

Except I slam right into another silvery-skinned alien, one that doesn’t look nearly as nice.

He holds up his slim-looking gun and says, “I don’t wish to use this on a female.”

Real nice, I think.

The one named Kiva that I walloped in the face is right behind me. Great. I’m doomed. Trapped between them in a narrow hallway. The friendly guy with blue hair starts arguing with his partner in their alien language. But when the mean one sees him, he starts to look horrified. I blink and look again. Did I fuck up his face that bad? They’re bickering, and I can’t understand, but the gist seems to be that Kiva wants to help me and his friend (rightfully) thinks I’m a criminal.

There is a clattering of doors, shuffling, and shouting as the police enter through the front door and stomp up to the landing.

“Ma’am, are you the homeowner?” asks the cop that just barged into my house.

“Yes,” I say lamely. I step back down to the landing. For some reason I can’t bear to look at that wide-eyed, blue-haired alien who thinks I’m some kind of damsel in distress. I slip past him with averted eyes. He’s got a case of puppy dog face. And I smacked him with a baseball bat.

The cop lets out a heavy sigh. “Alright, we’re going to have to take you in for questioning. You’re being placed under arrest for aiding and abetting in the kidnapping of Ella Sacco.”

He starts saying all those things you hear on the procedurals about my right to remain silent as he turns me around and claps me in handcuffs. I stare at the creaky floor and take a deep breath. Welp, bound to happen eventually, I think to myself.

“Excuse me, but what is the meaning of this? This female is not a criminal! This is a misunderstanding.”

I startle at the growling tone of the blue-haired alien as he advances menacingly on the police officer. He looks like he’s ready for a fight, but his frowning companion restrains him by pulling his arms behind his back. My mouth hangs open. The cop tugs at me and I follow him, trancelike in my inability to tear my eyes from the alien. Face stained with blood from my blow, he begins to resist, shouting all the while in his strange language.

What is happening? Am in some alternate universe? Because there’s not a single shred of evidence I’ve witnessed over the course of my lifetime to indicate why a total stranger would ever give a shit about a white trash, hard-ass, messed up person like me. But once I’m in that police car and it starts to carry me away, I crane my neck to watch him through the window. He doesn’t stop struggling, his eyes following me until I turn the corner.

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