Chapter Eleven
Tremendous power roiled through sickbay. Yippee! I was going to meet the Overlord in my underwear.
KeeKee burrowed into my hair and shivered. “Big scary come.”
Poof! Detja and the biggest, meanest-looking Coletti warlord stood there. And I thought the Overlord’s warning vid was intimidating. In person, he was even more terrifying. Zarek’s black battle suit emphasized his huge frame. He wore large gold warrior’s bracelets with an elaborate design. An etched gold headband held back his gray warrior’s braids.
Tihar grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me.
Sariel extended his arm, and the Overlord clasped it. “Welcome aboard, Zarek.” He turned to Detja and bowed slightly. “You are well, lady warrior?”
“I am.” Detja’s gaze roved over Shandev’s body before settling on me. “Do all Jones females create havoc wherever they go?”
I shrugged. “Yes, ma’am, it’s in our DNA.”
“My Sarah took down the assassin, Shandev, and gave emergency aid to Yann, saving his life,” Tihar responded proudly.
Aw, he was sticking up for me. “Thanks, babe.”
Zarek’s cold amber eyes me surveyed me from the top of my bloody hair to the tips of my bright red toenails peeking out from under the blanket. “Are you sure you want to become Askole? I can stop the transformation.”
Damn, he was giving me an out. I winced as Tihar’s grip became painful. “I’ve made my choice.”
“Truth or a lie?” Without warning, Zarek invaded my mind and shifted through my memories.
A jolt of raw fear shook me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break the connection or stop him. I flinched as Zarek tugged and yanked. A burning sensation built behind my eyes. Holy Mary Mother of God, he was going to fry my brain.
“Your brain is safe,” Zarek said, a thread of amusement in his voice. “I merely strengthened your shields.”
“You did? Why?”
“Your psychic shields are not strong enough to keep Malik from shattering your mind.”
“Oh. Thanks. You’re not mad I screwed up your breeding plans?”
“Sariel is a trusted friend. Finding your true mate is important in both our cultures.” The Overlord switched his attention to Sariel. “Tihar and Sarah have bonded psychically.”
“We cannot break the link without serious mental damage,” Sariel agreed, tapping his gauntlet. “This is the bride price we are offering.”
Zarek touched an icon on his bracelet and read the information scrolling across the screen. “Your offer, while generous, is not enough for a warrior with Sarah’s skills. Her psychic abilities are rare and highly sought after.”
Detja waved her hand at me and Tihar. “Go. Complete the mating bond.”
“Yes, my lady.” Tihar scooped me up and did Mach 1 down the corridor.
KeeKee’s giggles filled my mind. “Faster. Go faster!”
My stomach roiled. “Stop!”
Tihar shot into a room and halted abruptly.
KeeKee hopped up and down. “Do again. Do again. Me like.”
“Later, youngling.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
My head stopped spinning, and I noticed a menagerie of horrifying fanged creatures cluttering the room. Every one of them was frozen in midattack. “What are those?”
“My trophies. Every Askole warrior displays his kills.”
I put KeeKee on my shoulder.
She let out a squeak and skittered back to my head. “Monsters. Monsters.”
They certainly were. My gaze fell on an enormous bed covered with thick black fur. Good God, this was his bedroom. “Why display them here?”
“As proof of my sexual prowess.”
Huh? I would think being hung like a bull elephant would do it. Maybe Askole women got off on dead monsters. I eyed a critter that looked like a cross between a shark and an armadillo. Did I want to be making love with that thing watching me? Hell no. “I know you’re really good at hunting things, but those have to go.”
Tihar’s tentacles drooped.
“Only in the bedroom,” I hastily added. “I mean, I don’t have a problem with a trophy room.” His tentacles perked up. “Every woman dreams of having a fierce warrior to protect her.”
“But not you.” Tihar’s tentacles caressed my face. “You are as much of a predator as I am.”
Damn. He was good. Few saw the murderous rage that lurked inside me. The Tai-Kok and Rodan had turned me into a stone-cold killer. I pointed to a huge prehistoric werewolf. “What the hell is that?”
Tihar gave a toothy smile. “A Gourman. I killed it using only my sword.”
That seemed a bit suicidal. Me? I would have gone with a laser cannon at a thousand yards. The Gourman was enormous. One look at Tihar’s expectant gaze and I said, “Wow. You are an accomplished hunter. The only things I’ve bagged are the Tai-Kok, Rodan, and one lousy deer.”
“Deer?”
I flashed Tihar a picture of the four-point buck I had shot. “I got to put my tracking skills to good use, and after we butchered it, my squadron had enough meat for a week.”
“Why were you hunting for food?”
“The Tai-Kok bombings took out our food warehouses. We either hunted or went hungry.”
“You will never be hungry again.”
I ran my thumb over a tentacle wrapped around my right hand. “Life doesn’t come with guarantees, babe. The only promise I want from you is you won’t let the Tai-Kok or Rodan take me alive. Deal?”
“Deal.” Tihar’s lips covered mine, and our tongues tangled in a slow, sensual dance. My alien was a damn fine kisser.
Silky little legs dug frantically at our locked mouths. “No eat Momma Sarah. No eat.”
Tihar raised his head, struggling not to laugh. “I am not eating Momma Sarah. We were kissing.”
“What kissing?”
“It’s a way we show our affection,” I answered.
“Me no get kissing.”
Plucking KeeKee off Tihar’s forehead, I pressed my lips to her furry head. “You have now been kissed.”
“Me like.” KeeKee peered up at Tihar. “Kiss?”
With a put-upon sigh, my lethal warrior leaned down and gave her a smooch.
“I think I could fall in love with you,” I told Tihar.
“What must I do to convince you?”
I gestured at the trophies.
“As the lady warrior commands.” Tihar touched his gauntlet. The Gourman and his pals vanished.
Holy hell. They were holograms. Very realistic holograms. “Where do you keep your real trophies?”
“At my fortress.” Tihar released his grip and let me slide slowly down his muscular body.
I felt a rush of heat in my hoo-ha. What a tease. “You have a fortress?”
“I do.” Tihar sent me the mental image of a castle carved from a mountain of bronze. Laser cannons were mounted on top of the towers.
“Impressive.”
“I won it in a death challenge.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Damn. You pissed off some rich, important dude, didn’t you?”
“A tyrant who used his power to terrorize his clan.”
I took a step back at Tihar’s savage expression. He’d give the Overlord a run for his money in the badass department. “Your father didn’t stop him?”
“Chimer, the rich, important dude, had the council’s backing.”
“Bet he was bribing them.”
“He was.”
“What horrible crime did you commit to anger Chimer? Refuse to marry his sister? Sleep with his mom?”
“Neither. Chimer was beating a Draconic hatchling. I stopped him.”
Anyone who hurt critters needed to be put down. I had destroyed the Rodan who ate my dog. It had been five years, and I still missed Roxy. “You didn’t leave the hatchling behind, did you?”
“I did not.”
Tihar’s compassion toward animals earned him a bunch of brownie points. “That’s when dumbass challenged you?”
“He accused me of theft and demanded the Rite of Mainor. Single combat to the death.”
“A bully and his pride make for bad decisions. I mean, seriously, he thought he could take you?”
“Chimer had never been defeated in battle,” Tihar said.
“Gee, an arrogant, cocky and brain-dead bastard. Did I leave anything out?”
Tihar grinned, exposing a mouthful of sharp teeth. “He was drunk when he walked onto the battlefield.”
“You can’t cure stupid.”
“You are correct. He pissed himself in the first combat trial.”
“Which was?”
“Swords, fangs, and claws.”
“I gather you took pity on him and stopped his suffering?”
“I did. My father kept his head as a trophy.”
Oh ick. The fur on the bed moved, and bright orange eyes peeped out at me. “That’s not a hologram.”
“No. That is Musa.” Tihar held out his hand. “Come, Musa.”
I stared dumbfounded as Musa crawled out. She had a red foxlike face, a furry black body with bat wings, and a long serpentine tail. “Aren’t you a cutie.”
Musa preened, fluffing her fur.
“What kind of varmint is it?”
“She is a Ayetimene Draconic. Unfortunately, she has imprinted on me.”
“Aw, she thinks you’re her daddy.”
KeeKee scrambled down and perched on my left ear. “Who that?”
“Say hello to Musa.”
“Hello.”
Musa cocked her head and chirped.
I reached down to pet her.
The Draconic let out an ear-shattering roar, and flames spewed from her mouth.
“Whoa!” I jerked my hand back.
“No hurt Momma Sarah.” KeeKee shot a web ball at her.
The fire hit the web ball, and whoosh, a bonfire erupted.
The ship’s automatic fire suppression system kicked in, spraying a thick foam over the room.
“Yuck.” I wiped the gook out of my eyes. One look at Tihar, and I burst into laughter. He looked like the marshmallow man.
Tihar grabbed a mirror and held it up to me. I was coated in the sudsy stuff with only my eyes visible.
KeeKee shook herself like a dog, flinging foam in every direction. Musa launched herself into the air and spun wildly. Large flakes of foam rained down on us.
“How do we get rid of the stuff?”
Tihar tapped his gauntlet. A bright blue light rolled over the room. The suds vanished.
“Neat trick.”
“Musa has triggered the suppression system twice now. My father wants to put her into stasis until she can be returned to my fortress on Seth.”
“Bad idea. Stasis sucks. All she needs is some training.”
Musa landed on Tihar’s shoulder and hissed at me.
Make that a lot of training. “The jealous sort, huh?” I eyed Musa’s sharp little teeth warily.
Tihar petted her head. “She attacks any female who gets close to me.”
“Damn. That must have put a crimp in your love life.”
“There is only you. I want to fuck you deep and hard with my tongue,” Tihar replied, his raspy voice low and seductive.
My legs turned to jelly. An aching need blossomed in me, and I reached for him.
Musa snapped at me.
I barely avoid her teeth. “She’s going to be one hell of an asset in battle, but in our love life, not so much.”
“I’ll put her in stasis.”
“That’s not necessary. There is an easy fix. My Aunt Tess is an expert critter wrangler.”
“Critter wrangler?”
“Think of her as a dragon whisperer who corrects bad behavior.” I linked minds with Aunt Tess. “I need your help.”
“Sarah! I’ve been so worried. Are you okay? Is that Askole asshole treating you okay?”
“I’m fine, and I agreed to mate with Tihar.”
“What? Have you lost your mind? He’s got tentacles!”
“I like tentacles.”
Aunt Tess cried, “Since when?”
“Let’s just say, Tihar’s tentacles can do amazing things.”
“Oh my God. You’ve been brainwashed.”
Tihar interjected, “I would never force Sarah. She is my true heart.”
“You sneaky bastard, you did some kind of mental voodoo on her. Sarah always said she would never hook up with an alien.”
I gave Aunt Tess a psychic hug. “I’m okay. Really. I’m one stubborn bitch with awesome mental shields. No one can force me to do something against my will. Except the Overlord and Detja, and I can tell you right now, they’re good with Tihar and me hooking up.”
“I find that hard to believe. Detja was beyond pissed when she found you had been transported onto the Askole battle cruiser.”
“Let’s just say they had a change of heart.”
Aunt Tess took a deep breath. “What kinda help do you need?”
“Tihar has a pet dragon who has imprinted on him, and any female that comes near him, she attacks.”
“A dragon? I’ve always wanted a dragon.”
“Her name is Musa.” I gave Aunt Tess the 411 on how Tihar had rescued her.
“Okay, he might be a keeper. Mind meld with me, and I’ll get Musa to imprint on you and KeeKee.”
I dropped my shields and let Aunt Tess in. I could feel her ruffling through my memories. “I’ll be damned. You have fallen for him.”
“I would never lie to you.”
“God, I’m such a bitch. Finding love in this crazy universe is a miracle. Can you forgive me?”
“Of course, we’re family.”
“Never forget, Sarah, you and your kin are now part of my clan. I will protect them with my life,” Tihar added.
“He’s a keeper.” Aunt Tess reached out and linked with Musa.
Within minutes, the little dragon started purring like a cat.
“It’s working,” I whispered to Tihar.
“Indeed.”
KeeKee stared at Musa. “Why she make funny noise?”
“She’s happy. Would you like her to be your friend?”
“No like fire.”
I sensed Aunt Tess mucking about in KeeKee’s mind.
The baby Tabor giggled. “Tickles.”
“Okay, Musa now considers you and KeeKee family,” Aunt Tess announced.
“She’ll obey me?”
“I’d say about eighty percent of the time she will, but Musa has a stubborn streak. Kinda reminds me of you.”
“Har har.”
Tihar interjected, “My father gave the Overlord five times the bride price for you. The contract has been signed, and you are now legally mine.”
“What?” My temper flared to life. “The Overlord sold me like a cow? Are the Coletti that desperate for money?”
“The higher the bride price, the more honor for the female,” Tihar quickly inserted.
Aunt Tess added, “Before you blow a gasket, remember that’s how things are done in this neck of the woods, Sarah. Don’t forget, not so long ago, Earth women came to the marriage with a dowry.”
“You’re right, but I don’t have to like it.”
“Shit!” Aunt Tess gasped. “Gotta go. Rho’s in a bit of a temper.”
“What did you do to him?”
“Sent a bunch of sand flies to play with him.” Aunt Tess’s shriek reverberated around my skull as Rho tossed her into the lake. Our link broke.