Chapter 19
Sasha woke in a room eerily similar to the one where Dr. Kirkem conducted his experiments. White walls, medical equipment and the distant beep beep of a machine. Had she and Jaron been captured again? She sat up with a jerk.
“Right here, kitten.”
Sasha snarled, claws out and almost slashed Jaron who leaped away in time. He was dressed in black from head to toe, gaze intent. She’d never seen him look so stern. It gave her stomach swirls. “Jaron?”
Humor popped in his blue eyes and all at once he was familiar to her. He came back to her bedside and pressed a palm to her arm. “How are you feeling?”
Sasha took note of her condition. She seemed fine. Better than fine. Glancing down, revealed a white flimsy gown and a matching sheet tucked about her hips. “Where am I?”
Jaron rubbed her arm, his smile broad and welcome. “Enotia.”
“We made it.” Giddy, she fell back against the pillows.
“We made it.” His gaze grew serious. “You scared me for a moment out there, kitten.”
Sasha touched a hand to her temple. The memory was there yet distant. They ran. Dr. Kirkem died. But then? Then Sasha drew a blank. “What happened?”
Jaron leaned a hip on the bed and slid close, his hand going up to cup her jaw as he leaned down. “You jumped in front of me, took multiple laser strikes to your back.”
Sasha winced. It was coming back in vivid color. “Guess it all worked out.”
Jaron’s fingers flexed on her face, a deep crease forming between his blond brows. “You almost died trying to protect me. Don’t ever do that again.”
Shivers coursed down Sasha’s spine. She tried to look away from Jaron’s piercing stare, but he held her caught in the depths of his blue gaze. There was honest fear there which he made no attempt to hide. Plucking at the sheet with her fingers, Sasha went for casual. “Um…well, run faster.”
Jaron’s mouth dropped open. For a moment, she thought he’d lose it and reiterate his point. She should have known better. Jaron was exactly who he appeared to be. His rich laughter poured out as his thumb caressed her bottom lip in admonishment. Then he moved his hand and sat back on the bed.
Questions bubbled to the surface, but the door to the room swished open behind Jaron and a blond man strode in carrying a data pad. “I see she’s awake, Jaron.”
Jaron stroked her sheet covered thigh. “Only a moment ago.”
The male nodded and glanced own at Sasha. “Your blood work and test came back fine. All traces of the sexual enhancement you experienced are also gone.”
“Who are you?” Sasha brushed at the hair tumbling about her forehead, tension edging into the easy camaraderie she shared with Jaron. She trusted Jaron, felt comfortable with him after all they’d been through. This male she didn’t know despite his congenial manner.
“I am the medic for the Jutak Unit here. Dr. Maku. Jaron wanted your presence kept secret in case threats existed beyond your time with The Collector. This was the best place for that.”
The only threat Sasha planned to address was Orland. She snuck a quick look at Jaron who continued to watch her. It was admittedly generous of him to let her stay at this military base, if that’s what this was, to recover.
Clearing her throat, Sasha directed her question to Jaron while keeping the medic in her line of sight. “Is it possible to get cleaned and something to wear?”
The last few weeks of nudity had given her a distinct need to be fully clothed in public.
“Anything you want can be ordered. It may take time.” Jaron rose slowly and stretched, his arms going above his head as he tipped his head from side to side before dropping his arms on an exhale.
On closer inspection, he looked worn out. There were dark circles beneath his eyes. Yes, he was clean and she scented cleanser but Sasha wondered if he’d gotten any sleep. Or had he stayed beside her the entire time? The possibility left her jumpy and she had to squash the sensation. She might be in love with the sexy soldier but she didn’t have to get carried away with the new emotion.
“A few of the Chosens, however, offered a selection of items for you to look through,” he continued, meeting her eyes once more.
Chosens. Sasha understood the Enotian title given to couples committed to one another. She also knew Argorans could never participate in the ceremony due to an incident years ago. Her stomach pitched. Not that she was thinking in that direction. Jaron and she were temporary.
Sighing, Sasha pushed the covers from her hips and swung he legs to the side of the bed. “Point me in the right direction, handsome.”
***
Jaron waited outside the cleansing room while the water ran, unwilling to be far from Sasha. Every time he closed his eyes, he flashed back to the lasers hitting her and holding her in his arms as her bright blue blood spilled over his hands. Things went bad fast on the shuttle, but Kyele and Arak worked in tandem to stabilize her.
“She is lucky to be alive,” Dr. Maku absently commented.
Drugs and Argorans didn’t mix, which would have doomed Sasha, but Dr. Maku was used to dealing with Arak’s similar genetics. After he fixed the major injuries, her natural healing ability did the rest.
That didn’t mean the hours he sat near her sleeping form weren’t torture. Jaron worried the entire time only stepping away to shower and change then report to Torkel. His Unit Leader agreed with Jaron’s request to have her stay at the Jutak facility where they lived instead of the military base and for now her presence was a secret from everyone including their Commander.
“I will leave you. She is freed from my care if you wish to take her to another room.” Dr. Maku bowed and Jaron thanked him again.
If not for the medic Sasha might have suffered more. The Collector had put her life at risk each time he subjected her to his drugs and testing. Jaron was glad he was dead or he would have sought to eliminate the danger he represented to Sasha. He understood more than ever now how Kyele must have felt.
The latch to the cleansing room clicked. When Sasha walked out, Jaron almost swallowed his tongue as he stood. She wore a red top in some slinky material that clung to her breasts, the loose neckline revealing the dip of her cleavage and the upper swells. Her black pants were thigh hugging and fitted to her ankles. A pair of small black shoes completing the visual.
Jaron recognized Joni’s style. “Beautiful.”
He got a bronzed blush then a snarl. She’d fussed with her hair and the short waves were smoothed back, hugging her head like a sleek cap, tiny curls already springing up at the back.
Jaron went to her and grasped her narrow waist. He lowered his head and kissed her like he’d been dying to from the moment she woke. She moaned and slid a foot up the back of his calf. Their tongues teased and danced, their mouths parting long enough to gasp broken pleas.
“You—”
“Glad—”
“Right now,” Sasha growled, pushing at Jaron’s shoulders in her eagerness to take them both where they wanted.
Jaron stumbled backward but the wall saved him from falling. He secured his hold on Sasha, her hands all over him. “Wait. We…Can’t.”
It took an act of will yet Jaron managed to catch her hands and lock them between their straining torsos. She froze. “Sasha, my Unit Leader will want to speak with you.”
Startled green eyes met his gaze. “What? Why?”
She tugged at her wrists and Jaron cautiously released her. “It is a formality. You have done nothing wrong, but he has questions about The Collector.”
The shiver he caught wasn’t feigned. She straightened her shoulders and stepped back from him, causing Jaron to mourn the loss of her closeness. Tight nipples budded up against her shirt, the sway of her breasts drew his eyes as she ran fingers through her hair, mussing the strands.
“I see.”
She blanked her expression and Jaron hated the look that crossed her face. “Sasha, you are safe here.”
She tipped her head to the side, the corner of her mouth curling upward. “Not a problem, Jaron. The sooner I meet with him, the sooner I can go.”
Not what he had in mind. For the moment, he let the matter drop. There was a lot he wanted to discuss with her. They just didn’t have time right now. “Once Torkel is free he will join us. In the mean time, I’d like to introduce you to the others.”
Although Jaron wanted to cup her elbow and lead her from the medic room, Sasha’s stiff demeanor no longer encouraged his touch. They walked down the corridor together with a sliver of space separating them. The ride in the shaft was made in silence Jaron wasn’t sure how to breech. He escorted her to the rec room where he knew most of the guys would be relaxing.
Glassware and conversation greeted them as they entered. A few heads turned in their direction.
“Jutak Aches, thank you for saving us.” Luna, the blonde from Earth, rushed over and hugged Jaron.
Sasha came to a full stop in the doorway, a low growl rumbling from the deep recesses of her chest. Jaron muffled a curse and tried to untangle himself. Luna planted a hand on his chest and leaned forward. A cloud of scented enhancement engulfed him.
“I’m so grateful,” Luna continued.
He sought to reassure Sasha when her growl cut off and she grew even colder. Over Luna’s shoulder, Sasha shot him a dark glare and strode forward, unaware of the attention she created by her confident presence and strut alone.
Jaron reached for Luna’s arms and slid them from his body. “It is our job.”
Dr. Maku had given care to all three of the rescues. The Jutak commander, himself, was currently in talks to return them to their rightful worlds. Except Luna who was a part of Earth’s Singles Program which matched their women with men from other planets. By their regulations, she was ineligible to return.
Jaron knew Luna contemplated staying on Enotia. Her blonde hair and blue eyes fit perfectly with the homogenous looks of his home world. For selfish reasons, he hoped she didn’t stay.
Jaron escaped further conversation by stepping around her, his frantic gaze seeking Sasha. The members of his teammates on Team One and Team Two nodded and smiled in welcome. Team Three was out on a mission.
In the corner of the room, sitting on a squat brown chair, he found Sasha in conversation with Arak and his Chosen, Sylvie, who listened avidly to what was being said. Unwilling to cause a scene by disturbing them, Jaron knotted his hands at his side in frustration.
“Jaron, we worried about you.”
The new voice from behind him was welcome. Jaron spun around to greet Faye, Torkel’s Chosen, from Earth. “Hello, Faith.”
She hugged him warmly, her cheek to his chest and Jaron returned the embrace, closing his eyes and squeezing. When they parted, he sensed Sasha watching but did not turn around.
“I can’t believe you. Don’t ever disappear again.”
Jaron rolled his eyes, grinning. “I will try not to let it happen again.”
Faye put her hand on her hips, brown eyes twinkling. “It looks like you came with a visitor.”
“Several. We managed to save three others from The Collector.”
Her gaze narrowed to slits. “I’m specifically talking about the Argoran.”
Jaron enjoyed teasing Faye. She riled as easily as Sasha sometimes. “Oh, her.”
“She’s competent to hear Torkel speak of her work with the Retrievers Association. Pretty to boot.”
Sasha was more than a pretty face and lush body. But Faye wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. “I pulled the records for him to review.”
What there was of them. Someone had done a fancy job of covering Sasha’s trail and not even Jaron’s skill could bypass some of the blocks. He’d erred on the side of caution and not asked Bane, the only male better at pulling data than him, to help.
“You’re not fooling me.” Faye linked their arms and dragged him off to the side. Jaron considered resisting or another method to stall but what would be the point? She’d eventually force this conversation between them.
“Be honest,” Faye whispered, looking around to make sure no one stood near them. “Who is Sasha F’Lan to you?”
And because Jaron considered Faye as close as one of his sisters, he told her. “I think I would enter presentation for her.”
Surprise flashed across Faye’s features followed by genuine happiness. She rubbed the small mound of her belly which had grown rounder since his captivity. “My child is going to have a family of friends surrounding her.”
Jaron paled and held up his hands. “I have not thought that far ahead.”
She was expecting a child as well as Sylvie. Torkel and Arak would soon be papans. It would be a first for any of the soldiers in their Unit.
“Hmm.”
Jaron didn’t try to decipher her hum, the need to get back to Sasha overruling his manners. He patted her shoulder, tentatively touched her stomach. “I have things to discuss with Sasha, Faye. We can talk later.”
“We will,” she muttered loud enough for him to hear as he made a direct line for Sasha.