Текст книги "Alien in the Family"

Автор книги: Gini Koch

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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 32 страниц)

CHAPTER 40

WE WANTED TO TAKE A LIMO BACK TO THE hotel because Chuckie and Martini both wanted to powwow, and we didn’t feel confident about avoiding spies, bugs, or interstellar terrorists any more. Getting one was the issue.

“We’ve got no available agents,” Tim told Martini. “Everyone’s still doing clean-up and prisoner transfer, or fixing what they were in the middle of when we had to call them here.”

Martini looked at Chuckie. “Think you can put a limo on the expense account?”

Chuckie shook his head. “I don’t think we want to do that.” He wasn’t looking at Martini. The rest of us turned to see what, or rather, who Chuckie was looking at. Our personal paparazzo was barreling toward us, crocodile grin on full.

“I thought we got rid of Mister Joel Oliver,” I shared. “James had Security take him away.”

He snapped a picture before any of us could move. “What did I miss?” he asked, as if he were part of the team.

“What did we miss? How is it you’re not in jail or something?”

Oliver chuckled. “Really, so naïve. That’s cute. Babe, if a bribe doesn’t work, then my newspaper simply makes a few calls and I’m out.”

“Blackmail pictures?” Chuckie asked.

“Oh, and more.” Oliver beamed. “So, what’s the real story about what happened here?”

“Weather balloon,” Chuckie said.

Oliver snorted. “Of course. That’s the C.I.A.’s official statement?”

Chuckie’s eyes narrowed. “We aren’t giving you an official statement about anything or for any agency.”

“Why are you insinuating anyone here is with the C.I.A.?” Martini asked.

“Same reason I’m ‘insinuating’ half of you are aliens. Because I know.”

I wished Reader were here. He’d handled Oliver a lot better than we were. What had he done? We’d smiled, posed, and called Security. Well, it was worth a shot.

I put my arms around Martini’s and Chuckie’s waists. “Smiles, everyone, smiles!”

“What’s with the Mister Rourke voice?” Chuckie asked.

“Not exactly Fantasy Island here,” Martini added.

Oliver laughed. “Mister Reader is much more comfortable in front of a camera.” His smile disappeared as he took another shot of all of us. “Much more comfortable than you are, Mister Reynolds. I can hardly find any photos of you at all.” He winked at me. “But you’re in every one of the few there are.”

Martini started the low growl that usually led to a much louder roar. This wasn’t going as I’d hoped.

There was a loud whistle, and we all looked. Tim had gone to the valet area and procured a limo. At least one of us was thinking. “Let’s go,” he called.

Oliver was still blocking our way, and Christopher knocked into him. “Get moving or get run over,” he snarled.

Oliver backed away. “Care to make any comment for why there were thousands of aliens in Las Vegas this morning?”

“Movie stunt,” I called over my shoulder. “Casting call for the next Ocean’s Eleven sequel.” We piled in while Oliver took more snaps as we drove off, Tim giving the driver directions to head downtown. “How do we stop him from printing our pictures? I mean, I doubt the government wants proof of things like Chuckie being with all of us on the front page.”

“You have no faith, do you?” Christopher said. He sounded smug.

Chuckie laughed. “You could alter the film just by touching the camera?”

Christopher shrugged. “No.” He grinned. “I could, however, cause all the film to become exposed. He’s got nothing now. I exposed the roll in the camera and all the film on him.”

“How?” Everyone other than our driver looked at me. Everyone had the “duh” look going. I thought about it. “Oh. Hyperspeed.”

Chuckie shook his head. “I worry about you sometimes.” He looked at Martini. “I don’t think we want our driver sharing.”

Martini nodded. “I don’t want us sharing until we know this vehicle’s safe. Tim, have our driver pull over.”

The driver pulled off onto a side street. We piled out. While Chuckie and Christopher searched the limo for a variety of nasty things, Martini gave the driver a lot of money and a strong suggestion to walk to THEhotel and wait for us and his limo to return. The driver wandered off, the limo was declared safe and clean of bugs, Tim took the wheel, Christopher took shotgun, and the rest of us settled in.

Even with those two in the front seat now, what with me, Martini, Chuckie, Gower, Lorraine, Claudia, Alexander, and Tito in the back, it was cozy. I was between Martini and Chuckie, which I knew Martini wasn’t happy about. But there was too much going on to worry about seating arrangements. We could worry about those for our wedding once we had the latest alien invasion schemes thwarted.

“Reynolds, where do you want me heading?” Tim asked.

“Where you were heading us already. Downtown. I’d tell you to leave the Strip, but I think we’d be too conspicuous on the regular city streets.”

We turned back onto the Strip. “Got it, casual wandering on the way.” Tim sounded as though this was a normal order. I wasn’t used to us just meandering anywhere, however.

“Why?”

“Because we need time to regroup.” Chuckie sounded tense, which was a rarity. “Since tragedy’s been averted and White’s taken care of the annoyance, let’s get back to the real issues still at hand. What’s the likelihood that Gregory can demand to see your Diplomatic Corps now that he’s clearly a traitor to both Earth and Alpha Four?”

“I’m honestly not sure,” Martini answered. “We haven’t dealt with anything like this during my tenure as Head of Field.”

“I believe I could convince my mother that Gregory was acting dishonorably,” Alexander said. “And Councillor Leonidas would undoubtedly see things from your perspective.”

“I got more about him out of the emissaries,” Chuckie said. “He’s playing a dangerous game, but it appears to be for the overall good of the Alpha Centauri system, not just Alpha Four.”

“Why would he do that?” I asked. “Wouldn’t that make him a traitor to the Alpha Four monarchy?”

“No,” Alexander said. “My great-uncle is perceived by some to be . . . unstable.”

“Is he?” Gower asked.

“No,” Chuckie answered. “From what I got from the Reptilians, Canus Majorians, and Feliniads, the king of Alpha Four is shrewd. He’s been in power for a long time. The Free Women’s attack was something no one seemed to have seen coming.”

“Councillor Leonidas warned about it for years,” Alexander said. “He has never felt the PPB nets should be around any planet, Earth included.”

“So, is he pro-Earth?” It would make him the only being in the A-C solar system who was, apparently, but it was worth a shot to ask.

“I would call him more pro-planetary freedom. While he, like the rest of us, does not want the might of the Free Women brought down upon us, he has counseled for years that holding people prisoners in the way we have is not conducive to their becoming peaceful members of a greater solar and galactic community.”

“Think Winston Churchill,” Chuckie said to me. “Only the A-C version.”

“So Leonidas is a better ruler than the king, isn’t he?”

Alexander looked uncomfortable. “Those kinds of questions are not voiced on Alpha Four.”

“Because dissidents are eliminated with extreme prejudice,” Chuckie added. “They were actually being benign to our Earth A-Cs by sending them all here.”

“I hate my family,” Martini grumbled. Alexander looked stricken. “Not the family here,” Martini added quickly. Alexander didn’t cheer up. “Oh, and not you. Probably not your mother, either, unless she’s just like your brother or great-uncle.”

Alexander shook his head. “She’s more like me. My mother has been very . . . alone since our father died.” His eyes clouded. “I believe our great-uncle may have had a hand in his death, but I was only a child when it happened, and I could be mistaken.”

“Assume you’re not,” Chuckie said briskly.

Gower nodded. “Even without confirmation from Richard or our parents, I know the royal family was very . . . stringent . . . in how they dealt with what they considered insubordination.”

“Wow, what a great bunch of folks they are. Let’s not plan to visit.”

“Most of our people are like yours,” Alexander said. “They want to live their lives in peace and enjoy their loved ones and the fruits of their labor.” He sighed. “Councillor Leonidas has protected our people from my great-uncle’s whims, as much as he could, at any rate. He protects my mother, too.”

“Leonidas actually runs the day-to-day,” Chuckie added. “Which is why he’s been able to influence the formation of a Planetary Council.”

“You sure he’s a good guy?”

Alexander nodded. “I believe if you knew him, you would feel he was trustworthy.”

“So far,” Chuckie said, “Leonidas seems like the only thing that’s prevented Alpha Four from doing even more damage than they’ve already managed.” Tim was winding us through the streets of downtown Vegas, and Chuckie sighed. “We’re no closer to knowing what’s coming, let alone how to defend against it. Leonidas can be the biggest booster of Earth and planets’ rights around, but the king’s word is the law.”

“Maybe Jeff needs to accept the kingship,” Lorraine said quietly. “That would stop all the badness, wouldn’t it?”

“I’m not going there,” Martini growled. “I’m not going there alone, or taking everyone back with me. Alpha Four isn’t our home, Earth is.”

“There is no one else,” Alexander said. He sounded desperate. “If not you, or one of the others here who are in the bloodline, then we lose the monarchy.”

“Sounds like a good thing to lose. Give the idea of democracy a try.”

“No, it won’t work that way,” Chuckie said quietly.

Gower nodded. “The other planets may not like the control Alpha Four has, but without it, they’d all fight like . . .”

“Like cats and dogs and dragons?”

“Exactly.” Gower shook his head. “Alpha Four remains in power because, in reality, the other planets want them to be in control.”

“They’d like more say in their self-determination, but I agree,” Chuckie said. “From what I got from them, what they object to is the current king’s tightening of the screws, as opposed to Alpha Four’s leadership. They’d all welcome Leonidas as leader.”

“Which is impossible, as he is not in the bloodline,” Alexander said.

“Could he marry in? I mean, if he’s protecting your mom already, why not?”

Alexander looked as though he’d never considered the idea, and now that he had, he wasn’t a fan. “Ah, I have no idea.”

“He’d lose his position,” Gower said. “The Chief Councillor can’t be a member of the royal family. He wouldn’t really be considered royal, though any children would be.”

“If they had any,” Tito said. “I’m not sure how long an A-C woman can continue to bear children, but if it’s Alexander’s mother we’re talking about, the chances would be slim if she was an Earth woman.”

Alexander still looked like this was a discussion he’d never imagined having and never wanted to have again. “I’m sure my mother isn’t interested in the Councillor. He’s old enough to be her father.” He sounded just this side of horrified.

“You’d be surprised at the age gaps some happy couples have.” Alexander’s look of horror increased. I considered sharing that his parents had done the deed in order to have him and Gregory, too, but decided to take pity. “But if you haven’t seen any romantic sparks, let’s assume there aren’t any.”

We were heading back up the Strip. “Not that anyone asks the driver’s opinion,” Tim said, sarcasm knob up to full, “but I think the fact that we have A-C spies around who can tell the incoming A-C space cruiser filled with A-C warriors exactly where to attack is a bigger deal than playing the royal dating game.”

Alexander looked uncomfortable. “I doubt it will be filled with Alpha Centaurion warriors.”

The way he said it made all of us look at him, including Christopher, who turned around in the front seat. “Just who would it be filled with, then?” he asked Alexander, Glare #1 in full force.

Alexander gulped. “The best warriors in the system. The Free Women.”

Before anyone could freak out, Gower’s phone rang. We all let Alexander’s pronouncement sit on the air while Gower gave some one-word replies and did a lot of grunting and Tim drove us back to the Mandalay complex.

Gower hung up. “That was Richard. The Diplomatic Corps is on site in full force. Only Robert has been allowed to talk to Gregory.”

“Thank God for small favors,” Martini said. “I’m calling them the least of our worries right now, though. Let’s deal with the question of what to do when the Free Women army arrives.”

There was a lot of silence. “Renata could call them off,” Chuckie said finally.

“Not if they believe her to be a traitor.” Alexander looked miserable. “I know Councillor Leonidas wouldn’t send a battle cruiser after us. I doubt he’d send any ship. He knew we were coming to Earth to ask for your help, under the guise of the Wedding Protocols.”

“Queen Renata thought there was a ship after you, though.”

“There was.” Alexander gulped again. “I believe my great-uncle sent it, though. And if I’m correct, then he would have told the Free Women that their queen was a traitor . . .”

“And that would mean they’d consider themselves, what, honor-bound to kill her and anyone she was with?” I knew I’d guessed right by the look on Alexander’s face. “Oh, goody. How far behind you were they?”

“Far.” Alexander perked up. “We received a transmission when we left our solar space, advising us that a ship was being sent to follow.”

“Leonidas giving you fair warning?”

“I believe so, yes.”

“One ship to handle three?”

Martini snorted. “If Kyrellis was any example, Renata could take every one of the rest of the Planetary Council and all of us besides all on her own. God help us if we actually have a regiment of Amazon warriors coming here.”

I looked at Gower. “Well, we’ll fall off that particular bridge when we’re pushed.”

He nodded, and I had a feeling he knew what I was thinking. “Exactly. Or as we like to call it, routine.”

CHAPTER 41

MARTINI AND I WERE BACK IN OUR HUGE SUITE in the hotel. C.I.A., A-Cs, Chuckie, and Martini had all gone over it—it and all the rest of the two floors our personnel were on—and came up with nothing.

Tito was installed in a room for his own protection. He’d gone home to get some things under heavy guard. We didn’t want to lose another power piece.

Per Chuckie, my mother was briefed, had discussed the situation with Queen Renata, had the P.T.C.U. on high alert, and was doing all sorts of other high-level, need-to-know stuff Chuckie and Mom both felt I didn’t need to know.

The rest of my family, having heard thirdhand that I was all right, were all back inside the casino. I felt the love. Then again, I figured my mother had a good idea of what state my hair and clothes were in and had decided discretion to be the better part of scaring the crap out of my grandmothers.

I settled the Poofs on one of the couches with instructions they were to be good and get some rest. Many purrs and mewls earned them some lovies, then they went to sleep. They snored, but it was low and cute. Everything about them was cute. Hey, I was all over cute with huge teeth when it was protecting me.

The bathroom had a gigantic tub. It said it was big enough for two, but it looked big enough for ten. It was set up for soaking, too—not only were there inclines to lean against, but also inflated pillows strewn about. “When was the last time we showered?”

“No idea, baby. The hours are all running together.”

“I don’t want to find out how bad I smell. You still sore?”

“Yeah. And you smell like roses, as always.”

“That bad, huh? Let’s take a bath, okay?”

He grinned at me. “I think I can manage to enjoy that. Just have to make a phone call. Be right back; get the water running.”

“Make sure the line’s secured and all.” I was getting paranoid.

“C.I.A. took care of that. I figure Reynolds will hear my conversation, but no one else will.” He left the bathroom, and I started to fill the tub. They had some great stuff in the bathrooms here, and I dumped all the expensive bath salts in. They foamed, scented, and relaxed, per their packaging. I’d worked as a marketing manager before I’d joined Centaurion Division, so I didn’t expect much from the hype. But there were instant bubbles, and the scent was nice. I was hoping Martini would help with the relaxation part, so I didn’t care as much about that being accurate.

I got out of my clothes. They were filthy and ripped—thankfully I’d been in the Armani fatigues and not my Aerosmith shirt. I was amazed I hadn’t been arrested as a vagrant. But it made it easier to see why Chuckie hadn’t trusted the football players. I risked a look in the mirror, was glad I hadn’t looked earlier, and thanked God the family was distracted by the lure of the slot machines. Considered that I looked damned good for falling off the top of the Hooters’ tower and decided to take that as a win.

Martini was still on the phone—I could hear him talking but not what he was saying. I decided I didn’t want to wait any longer. I stepped into the tub and settled under the water and the bubbles. It felt great. Leaned my head back against a pillow and closed my eyes. Felt even better.

The water turned off and my eyes opened. Martini was standing over me. His upper body looked completely healed, no bruising remained, which was a relief. “Sorry to wake you.” His voice was a purr.

“Was I asleep?” He was still in his pants, which I found disappointing.

“Yeah. The tub’s so huge it didn’t overflow.”

“Water’s nice. You coming in?”

He gave me a slow, sensuous smile. “I plan on it.” My breathing got heavy. He undid his pants slowly. By the time they were unzipped, I was starting to writhe in the water. By the time they were off, I was panting for him, and I could easily confirm that all his equipment looked better than fine and completely operational.

He sat at the edge of the tub. “You need anything? Before I come in?” His voice was low and silky.

“Oh . . . Jeff . . . please . . .” He was good. I was ready to go over the edge and he hadn’t even touched me yet.

Martini put one hand on either side of the tub by my head and shoulders. “Please what, baby?” His face was near, his eyes locked with mine, his mouth close, but not touching me.

I licked my lips. “I need you.” I gasped this out.

The predatory smile that made me weak was on his face now. “You sure?” He moved his mouth slowly around me, almost kissing me but not quite. My mouth followed his, trying to get his lips to touch mine.

“Jeff, please . . . don’t . . .”

“Don’t what?” he said near my ear, his breath hot against me.

“Don’t . . . don’t . . . I can’t . . .”

“Can’t what?” he purred. I felt his breath on my neck.

“I can’t wait any longer.” It came out like a wail.

Martini put his face in front of mine again. His eyes were smoldering. “Never let it be said that I made you wait for anything.” He put his mouth onto mine so quickly I jerked back unintentionally. But his hand was there and caught my head as his lips covered mine and his tongue slammed into my mouth.

He’d had me on the edge, and this was all it took. I screamed my climax into his kiss, while my whole body shook. I barely registered as he came into the tub with me and put his knees on either side of my hips. My arms went around him automatically and my hands clutched at his back, and still our kiss went on.

Martini kissed me until my body’s spasms subsided. Then he slowly pulled away. “Water’s nice.” He sat back and settled in. He never took his eyes off mine, and his expression was still predatory. He put his hand toward me. “C’mere, baby.”

I took his hand, and he pulled me to him. I slid on the porcelain, and he flipped my legs over his thighs, wrapped his other hand around my waist and pulled me up onto his lap. I slid my lower legs back so I was straddling him now. He had both hands on my waist. I grabbed his shoulders, back to panting for him. His smile was the sexy half-snarl he got where he reminded me of a jungle cat ready to eat me. I moaned. I wanted him to take me in any way he wanted, as long as he was inside me.

He knew, of course. Either I was already gone enough to satisfy him or he was being kind to me, because he didn’t make me suffer any longer. He pulled my hips down and slid himself inside me.

My head fell back and my back arched. My wailing started immediately. Martini kept his hands on my waist and moved me up and down. He shifted a bit, and his mouth was on my breasts, one then the other. He licked, sucked, nipped, and easily caused another orgasm to crash over me.

I managed to straighten up. He leaned away from my breasts and gave me another half-smile. I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed him, hard and frantically. His hands slid off my waist and up my back while I thrust on him wildly. He growled and pressed my body down in time with my wild rhythm. It didn’t take long before another orgasm slammed through me.

Martini slid his hands up, over my breasts and neck to my face. He gently pulled my mouth away from his. “Turn around.” He lifted me, spun me, and put me on my knees in front of him. I grabbed the side of the tub, and he slid back inside me while I moaned his name. His hands roamed my back then slid around my body, to stroke my breasts and stomach. He pulled me up slowly, so that my back was against his chest. I reached up and grabbed his shoulders.

One hand still toyed with my breasts, but the other trailed down my stomach, as his fingers traced circles on my skin. They slid over me, in time with his thrusts. My head went back against him, and my breath came in gasps, interspersed with short, sharp cries of pleasure. I couldn’t tell how long he kept me like this—the feelings were too intense for me to be able to focus on anything except how he felt on and inside me.

He changed his rhythm a bit and rocked me inside and out—I started to wail in earnest. “That’s right, baby,” he growled softly. “You know what I want.” His thrusts and strokes became harder and faster. I screamed his name as he roared and erupted inside of me, triggering an orgasm so intense I thought I would go insane from pleasure.

Our bodies shook together, each throb from him causing shock waves to course through me. We were locked together in this erotic frenzy for what seemed like hours. Finally, though, our bodies slowed and the feelings subsided and, with them, my ability to stay upright.

I started to slide down into the water, but he was ready for it, and his arms cradled me. Martini turned me back around and held me against him. I nuzzled the hair on his chest as he slid us back under the water. He slid me between his legs, and I wrapped one arm around his waist while the other held his shoulder. He stroked my hair and kissed my forehead.

The water was cool, and I felt him shift and fill the tub up again. The warmth of the water and his body, the sound and feel of his heartbeats, and complete erotic exhaustion made my eyelids heavy. I wasn’t asleep, but I was so relaxed I could have been.

Martini’s hands slid over my skin as he stroked and massaged me. He shifted me again, so my back was against his chest, my head against his shoulder. I was sitting on his lap with my legs between his. He kissed the side of my head while his hands continued to perform a sensual massage.

“I should be doing this to you,” I murmured.

“Later.” His voice was low and silky again. “I feel fine, and right now, I want to feel every part of you.”

“Okay, whatever you say.” I reached up one arm so I could run my fingers through his hair and stroke his face. He kissed my hand as it went by, then went back to nuzzling the side of my head.

“I say you’re mine to take care of. In all ways.”

“Yes, Jeff. Only yours. Only and always yours.”

“Good answer.” I could feel him smile against my skin. “I think I might like baths as much as showers.”

“Mmmm, me too.”

One hand slid between my legs, and he started to massage there, while his other hand rubbed and teased my breasts as his tongue traced my neck. My moans started and didn’t stop until I again sounded like a cat in heat. He didn’t stop until my climax subsided and I was limp against him.

We considered washing off, but the shower for twelve was right there and we didn’t want to make it feel slighted. In deference to the fact he’d only made me orgasm about six times in the tub, Martini ensured that I still loved a shower and a variety of screaming orgasms were had by all.

A human man would have been close to dead after this kind of performance, but Martini was just getting started. His theme seemed to be to see how long he could keep me screaming and docile at the same time. We dried off, if I counted his tongue running all over my skin as drying. By the time he was carrying me out of the bathroom I was helpless to do anything other than mewl or whimper and let him do whatever he wanted with me. What he wanted was to make love on the humongous bed. I found the strength to go on and have a few more mind-blowing orgasms, just to show I was a team player.

We were collapsed around each other when there was a knock at the door. I groaned. “Can I wake the Poofs and just have them eat whoever’s there?”

“Nope.” Martini kissed me deeply and got up. This room had everything, including nicer bathrobes than I’d ever seen in my life. He put one on and headed to the door.

“Jeff, you want to take a gun or something?”

“Nope.” He sounded amused.

Men. I heard him open the door and talk to someone. There were so many people trying to hurt us, I got worried. What if it was a shapeshifter? A rogue imageer? Some lunatic with a loaded pineapple? I dragged myself out of the bed and put on the other robe. It felt like velour or silk or silk velour. It was huge on me, but I decided not to care. It was comfy as all get-out.

Martini was still talking to whoever it was, and I figured I’d better see if I needed to bring him some pants or a Glock or something. Gave my hair a fast brush—didn’t want to give the visitor heart failure by looking at me.

Martini’s voice was friendly and cheerful, and, as I walked out, the thought that maybe this was someone he knew, like, God forbid, his mother or father, waved weakly to me from the fuzziness that was my overclimaxed mind.

I got to the living area and, sure enough, it was his father.