Chapter Eighteen

 

 

 

He put Gerald in a holding cell in the basement. She should feel better. Vindicated, alive, but she didn’t. There were twenty males besides Gerald, all of whom had tried to kill her. Who kills someone because she encouraged another person to live their best life?

“You’re still going to die. I’ll put a hit out on you behind bars if I have to.”

“You’ve been watching too many movies. That’s impossible.” He laughed at her.

“What are we going to do?”

“Nothing has changed.”

He took her hand and led her to the elevator. They went to their room.

“You know it freaks me out at times that we have a whole floor.”

He leaned over and kissed her. “There’s an outfit on the bed. I would love for you to put it on.”

She blinked at him before she went into the room. Her feet were carrying her a little faster than he probably liked. But, hell he bought her something? Lying on the bed was an outfit so sweet and simple she wished she had thought of it. There was a pair of purple pants that were softer and tighter than leather. She sniffed it trying to identify what it was made from.

The material must be alien. She was in love with it. Could she get some to do a line of clothes? The shirt seemed plain until she put it on. It molded to her frame. It was off the shoulder with an intricate pattern she had never seen before. Goals! It made her want to take her designs a step or two further.

She wasn’t wearing a bra, and it supported her chest like she didn’t have one. The pants flattered her ass and legs. This may be what she wore until she died it was just that good. There was a pair of boots that she couldn’t wear, and she longed to. They came up to her knees with four-inch heels. She put them on just because. They molded to her feet and supported her like they were made for her. When she stood, there was no strain in her back, no confusion in her feet. There was a wide gold belt lying on the bed. She put it on. When she did a weapon appeared on it.

Jabari walked into the room. “Defender.”

She looked into the mirror. For the first time in her life. The woman she knew she was on the inside looked back at her from the mirror. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. He wanted to show her who he saw and managed it. He saw her and yeah; she loved him. Now if she could only find the courage to tell him.

“Let’s go; everyone is waiting for us.”

She frowned but took his hand. He led her to the elevator getting off in the kitchen. They walked out the side door, and around front where the hover was waiting. It was empty when she got on.

“I don’t like the idea of bringing Fie with us, but I’d rather have him than leave him even with Tee to help protect him.”

She shifted him in her arms. He jumped on her when she walked out the door, and she didn’t have the heart to tell him to stay behind.

“Why?”

“He’s young to be away from his planet. They could be searching for him.”

“I don’t want him hurt.”

“He won’t be. Most Merling’s can’t survive this young on their own. When I questioned him all he said was 'he made sure I’ll be okay.' I have no idea who he is. I don’t think Fie knows, but he trusts this person completely.”

She nodded. Her life was no longer the easy journey, she once thought it would be. Now it was all about taking it one day at a time.

“What about when I’m no longer here?”

Jabari inhaled sharply. She ached for him, but she wouldn’t pretend they weren’t approaching the point of no return. Speaking of.

“Where are we going?”

“To the ship.”

They had passed the cloud layer where it always seemed to be daylight and were approaching the heavens.

“Ship?”

“Everyone else used a transfer system. I didn’t want to take the chance with you because of your condition. I talked to Mekhi about it, and he agreed. It would be safer to bring you on board using the hover. The planet we are going to doesn’t use a transfer system. You can only get on and off with a ship.”

She was nodding her head like she understood what his words meant. They were in space, and she couldn’t talk for fear a scream might come out. She didn’t scare easily she assured herself, but she was in space. Somewhere only astronauts went. Her eyes were wide, and her hand stretched out wanting to touch the screen in front of her.

He retracted the membrane covering the front of the hover allowing her to see out the window. She fumbled with the belts holding her until she was free. Walking to the window was frightening. Any minute she expected to float away or be thrown against something. Jabari never stopped her.

The first look at his spacecraft took her breath away.

“That’s a spaceship.” The words tumbled over each other coming out.

“Isn’t she beautiful?”

“Yes.” It floated there in a magnificence she could barely understand. “We are getting on that?”

“We are.”

“What’s it called?”

“The Brie.”

She nodded. It was a wonderful name for a beautiful ship. The side opened, and her heart skipped a beat. How could she hate a life that showed her such wonders?

He got her back in her seat before he sat and brought them in. She looked around. They were in a hangar. There were other hovers waiting for someone to use them.

“Is this how you got to earth?”

“This and some twist of time and physics I can’t explain.”

She opened her mouth in a silent O and allowed him to lead her out of the hangar into a corridor.

“Where are we going?”

“To my cabin. The trip will take a couple of hours, and you need your sleep.”

“I’m awake. I want to explore.”

“Can you explore on our way back? You woke up in the middle of the night to assassins trying to kill you.”

I can sleep when I’m dead. She bit back the words with the realization that her strong male needed to take care of her. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

Then she’d get some sleep because he was right. She was tired and weak.

 

*~*~*~*

 

The doors slid open before they walked onto the bridge. In front of her was a large view screen featuring a red planet they were approaching.

“Brandi, how did you get a purple outfit? Mekhi, there’s colors?” The indignation in her voice made Brandi cover her mouth.

“Quinn.”

“Don’t Quinn me.”

Mekhi gave Jabari a look that said they would have words later.

“There are colors Quinn. You don’t have to wear black because we do.” Jabari smiled big at her before giving Mekhi a challenging look.

“You don’t want to draw attention to yourself. Remember, assassins, mercenaries.”

She nodded her head. “I still want a color.”

“Damn straight you do.” Brandi moved closer to her. "Female solidarity.” They looked at each other and grinned. The males groaned.

“See what you started.” Phoenix was laughing so hard they barely understood the words.

“Where are we?”

“Ure, it’s a prison planet.” Jabari said.

“What?”

“They accept prisoners, that have been sentenced to either death or life in prison.”

“You're bringing Gerald here?”

“And everyone who helped him.”

She nodded and turned back to the screen. This was wrong, but was it? On Earth, all he may get was a smack on the hand or even a few years. That wasn’t long enough. Here he’d never be free.

“What if this is wrong?”

“I can live with it. But I knew you couldn’t. Your friend's career is not the first one he ruined. This wasn’t his first time hiring professionals to take care of his dirty work. If we leave him on Earth, he will target someone else.”

He was right, and she knew it. However, playing judge and jury didn’t sit right with her.

“Gerald would have had me killed.” Jabari didn’t respond, and she didn’t expect him to. Gerald was still alive because she didn’t want him dead. She wanted him in jail. This was her wish, and she wasn’t going to back out. He would pay for his crimes, but he would live to see another day.

“Thank you.” It was low, but he still heard her. He kissed her throat as they established orbit around the planet.

There was a low chime in the room.

“Incoming call from the planet.”

“Put it on screen,” Slade said.

The male on the screen tended towards a deep red skin color. He was wearing an elaborate hat with several points. She opened her mouth to tell him she liked his hat, but the subtle shift of Jabari’s head told her to stay quiet.

“I’ve come with several prisoners,” Slade said.

“What have they done?”

“They conspired to kill my mate.” Jabari moved to the center of the screen.

“Where is your mate?”

She moved to Jabari’s side.

“Defender.” He took a step back and bowed. “They have sealed their fate, and we will receive them. When you land on the planet ask for Nagear.” The transmission was cut.

“Nagear?”

“The one we spoke to. They do not give a name unless they agree to the transfer of the prisoner.”

She nodded and took his hand. He led her off the bridge and to the brig. They had a full house, but Gerald was in a cell alone.

“Where are we?”

“You’re at a prison planet named Ure.”

“You can’t do that.” The male who tried to kill her in the mall screamed. “This is a life sentence.”

Jabari looked at him before turning back to Gerald. “The only way on or off this planet is a ship. When you are processed, they will shoot a chemical in your arm that will bind with your blood. If you are on the planet, it is non-lethal. If you leave, it will blow you to shreds.”

“You can’t do this to me. Brandi, have a heart. I have a life and future.”

“What about my life, my future?”

“You’re dying, anyway.”

“And that’s why you’ll have all the time you need to rethink your answer. By the way, thanks. I almost thought I was doing the wrong thing.”

Jabari stood in the door keeping it open, so she could walk through. He led her back to the hangar.

“What about the others?”

“They’ll use the bigger craft after we leave the ship. I don’t want you in the same hover as the prisoners.”

It made sense. Her hands were shaking. She placed them under her thighs and smiled at Jabari. She was getting weaker as if it was a race to see who could get to the finish line first and her body was in high gear. His hand reached out to stroke her.

“I know.” His voice was low. The ache in her heart hurt more. She wasn’t hiding anything from him.

She placed her hand on top of his. “If I could change my fate.”

How many times had she fallen asleep in the last few days praying for a different ending, for more time with him? Sometimes she dreamed of having his child. In her perfect world that would happen. In this world, she would take what she could get.

He touched a button and asked for permission to land on the planet which was granted. He landed in what looked like a parking lot for hovers. The building they were going to wasn’t far away.

The planet was as red on the ground as it was from space. It felt like a desert, but it had more trees than she had ever seen in one. They were tall and thick; the leaves were long and waxy. The bark was black against an ocean of red.

“Is the whole planet hot like this?”

“Yes, this is what they call mild weather. Go to the south of the planet, and you can’t come out until the sun goes down.” She looked where he was pointing. There were two suns in the sky. No wonder it was so hot.

Nagear was waiting for them outside a large building.

“Defender,” he bowed. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

She placed her fist over her heart and then extended it with a slight tilt of her head. “The pleasure is all mine.”

“This is my first time coming to your planet; it's beautiful.” And it was, red sand and all.

The door to the building opened. Slade walked out first. The alien prisoners were behind him. Their hands and feet were chained. Behind them was Gerald, who wasn’t chained. The rest of the brothers followed them.

“I’m not guilty!” Gerald screamed. “You can’t keep me here.” He started running. No one stopped him.

She wanted to protest, but everyone, including the alien prisoners watched him like he was putting on a show. The sand in front of him moved. Her hand went to her chest when a large dark figure rose. Scorpion? Hell worm?

She backed up into Jabari’s chest. Gerald stepped backward too fast and fell.

“Did I forget to mention that Ure was named after the fierce predator that defends it? If you manage to escape, before you can make it to a ship, you’ll be eaten alive.”

Jabari looked down at Brandi. “Now we can leave.”

A smile lingered on her face. Justice was served.