“We must do something!”

Jecan looked over as his brother, Wyan, paced back and forth across the seating area. The area was a common one they shared on their employer’s spacious ship.

Jecan yawned. “What are you talking about?”

Wyan walked past and pushed his feet off the table they had been resting on.

“Hey!” Jecan protested. What was his issue?

“I hate when you put your feet on the furniture.”

“What do you care? It is not even our furniture.”

“You have the manners of a boarn beast,” Wyan snarled.

Jecan jumped to his feet. “And you act like a female having a tantrum.”

They lunged at each other just as the door opened. They stilled, expecting Tazan to walk in. It was one thing to fight with each other when they were alone and another to do so in front of others. To others they presented a united front. Always.

Instead, in walked their oldest brother, Rafal. Not that much more than a few minutes separated them in age. They were a rarity for their species or so their father had told them. Three babies at one time were almost unheard of. Giving birth to three over-sized babies had been too much for their mother. She had died soon after Wyan, the youngest, was born.

Their father had told them she could have been saved if only their uncle had not ignored his emergency call. After their mother’s death, their father had gone into a deep grief. It was a miracle he had survived his mate’s death.

Mollo, their father’s long-time friend, taken them all to a planet far away from their home one. He had basically raised them as their father had spiralled further and further into a crazed grief. He had told them stories of the man their father used to be—a fierce warrior but a fair man.

“What did he say?” Wyan asked. “What is he going to do with her?”

Wyan had a soft spot for females in distress. He and Rafal had pulled Wyan out of more than one sticky situation because of his blindness when it came to a female's lies and deceptions. Like the time he attempted to help a female Raptian and was kidnapped for her harem. Raptians were known as excellent fighters and that one had not wanted to let Wyan leave.

Although why she wanted Wyan when it was well known that Jecan was the more attractive of the three brothers, he did not know.

Rafal looked over at him sharply. Jecan shrugged. “Wyan is worried about our cousin’s mate.”

Rafal sighed. “Wyan—”

“He was only supposed to take the Alyyan female. That was who we were there for. Although I still do not think we should help return her to her uncle. I do not trust him.”

“She stole a fortune from her own uncle. She is not an innocent female, Wyan,” Rafal said in an irritated voice. “You must stop thinking that all females are innocent and in need of your protection.”

“You wish me to become as cynical as the two of you. When was the last time either of you had fun, when you enjoyed a female’s company?”

“I enjoyed a female’s company just three nights ago,” Jecan protested.

Wyan gave him an impatient look. “A whore doesn’t count.”

“I resent that. She was a very well-paid distributor of sex. Rafal is the one who never gets release. Well, from anything other than his hand.”

Both Wyan and Jecan grinned at their oldest brother. He was not known for his easy ways or sense of humor.

“Forgive me for having more important things to do. Like focus on our mission.”

“We missed the meeting with our cousin,” Jecan said. “I knew we should not have trusted Rohan. He used us.”

“He took our credits to set up the meeting and then arranged the pick-up of the Alyyan female at the same time,” Wyan added.

Rafal nodded. “We should have known he would do something like this. All he cared about were the credits we offered to arrange a meeting with Dexanon.”

“It might have been our only chance to get to him,” Wyan said with frustration.

“Not now that we have his mate.” Satisfaction filled Rafal’s voice.

“We can use her to get to him.” Jecan nodded in approval. A Zerconian male would come after his mate. “But she is human. Will he still come for her?”

Rafal shrugged. “He is mated to her.”

“But she is so small,” Wyan worried. “Surely, it is not safe to mate with someone so tiny. Do you think he hurts her?”

“From all accounts, Dexanon is a good leader and male,” Rafal said.

“Not like his father,” Jecan added bitterly. Were it not for that male, their mother might have lived, and their father would have remained sane. Their lives could have been very different. They should have had the life Dexanon had.

“We cannot taint him with his father’s sins,” Rafal cautioned. “We know what that is like.”

They nodded. They had been forced to live in the middle of nowhere due to their father’s extreme fits of temper. He had not been fit to be around other people. When they had lived in a village, they had to endure the whispers, the suspicion from others. So Mollo had moved them into the forest, far away from others.

Lonely, but safe.

“What if he will not allow us to come to Zerconia?” Wyan said. “He may see us as a threat to his role as Emperor.”

“Then we need to reassure him that we do not want the role.” Jecan shuddered at the thought. “Although I still do not think we need to go there.”

“No? You are willing to become what our father was?” Rafal asked.

“No. But taking a mate is a drastic step. What will we do with them?” He had no idea how to look after a mate. How much care would they need?

“We’ll need to stop working for Tazan,” Wyan stated. “This is not the life for a female.”

“This work was necessary, Wyan,” Rafal told him wearily. He sat back on a seat, closing his eyes. “You know that. We needed the funds and he pays well.”

“What we have done has not always been right,” Wyan countered. “We have to live with that.”

Rafal opened his eyes. “I have to live with that. It was my idea to take this job. I am responsible.”

“Not everything lies on your shoulders, Rafal,” Jecan told him, irritated with his self-sacrificing brother. “We can make our own decisions. We all decided to take on this job. No matter the black mark on our souls. So refrain from taking full responsibility. We are in this together.”

Both of his brothers gaped at him.

“What?” Jecan snapped.

“Nothing,” Wyan said slowly. “That was just very deep for you.”

“I have never seen you show so much passion over anything,” Rafal added. “Oh, except for food.”

“The two of you are idiots.” He scowled at them as even Rafal cracked a smile. “So what is the plan, Rafal?”

Rafal glanced away wearily. Jecan knew his brother had rarely slept since they had taken this job as enforcers for Tazan. He was an evil man who only cared about building a fortune, not the lives of those he hunted down. Tazan did not suffer from sleepless nights. But then, neither did Jecan. His brothers were right, a full stomach, perhaps a soft woman now and then, his brothers close by, and he was happy.

“We are taking the Alyyan female back to her uncle. Stars help her,” Rafal muttered.

“We cannot really hand that tiny female over to him, can we?” Wyan asked. “He is evil.”

Something about the pudgy, small-eyed male set Jecan’s instincts off as well. And then there were the rumors that he enjoyed a bit of torture during joining, whether the female agreed or not.

“And what about the mate of our cousin?” Wyan asked. “We cannot allow her near him.”

Rafal shook his head. “We do not have to worry about that. Tazan intends to ransom her.”

Jecan whistled. “Does he know who he deals with? Is he really prepared to bring the Emperor of Zerconia’s wrath down on him? If he lets her go he might be able to get away safely, but the longer she is in his possession the more time he gives Dexanon to find her.”

“If he can,” Wyan adds.

“If she was your mate, would you not do everything to find her?” Rafal asked.

Wyan scowled. “I would burn the universe down.”

“Exactly.” Jecan sat. “This is a mess. Wyan is right. He should not have taken her. When Dexanon catches up to us, we are all dead. We will not even have time to explain ourselves.”

Rafal sighed. “It is a mess.”

“So what do we do?” Wyan asked again.

“I believe it is time to leave Tazan’s service,” Rafal told them.

“When?” Jecan asked.

“He still owes us for this job, so we help him deliver the Alyyan female—”

“But—” Wyan protested.

Rafal put up a hand. “Tazan intends to stay at the palace for a few days. You know how his tastes are similar to the Alyyan King. We take the opportunity to take our cousin’s mate. We rescue her then contact Dexanon.”

Jecan nodded. “Yes, and he will be so grateful, he will be more inclined to meet with us.”

“But what about the other female?”

Rafal sighed. “We cannot save every female you think needs saving, Wyan. She is a thief. A criminal. She deserves what she receives.”

“And what if she is not guilty? Should we not speak to her?”

Rafal looked incredulous. “And risk tipping Tazan as to what we are going to do? He believes that we hate Dexanon and wish revenge on him.”

Jecan widened his eyes. “You think he took our cousin’s mate for us?”

“I think he took her for his own gain. But I believe he would use us as an excuse if necessary.”

“So if Dexanon caught up to us, he would tell him that he kidnapped her so we could use her for revenge.” Jecan shook his head. “He still manages to surprise me.”

“And if he attempts to hurt her?” Wyan asked

Rafal shook his head. “I do not believe he will. He wishes Dexanon to pay the ransom, he always takes care of his ransom victims.”

Wyan started pacing again and Jecan sat back with a sigh. “You are giving me a headache, Wyan. My neck aches from following you.”

“Then do not look at me.”

“I am trying not to, but you keep putting your ugly face in mine,” Jecan quipped.

“Fool. I look just like you.”

“Maybe if you are blind,” he retorted.

Jecan’s pulse raced as Wyan was started towards him. A fight was just what they needed to release their stress.

Their communicators all beeped at the same time. Jecan looked down at it with a groan.

“What do you suppose he wants with her?” Wyan asked, reading the same message demanding that they bring their cousin’s mate to Tazan.

“Probably wishes to make the ransom demand,” Rafal said grimly.

“We have to make certain we are not in that vid,” Jecan added.

The other two nodded.

 

***

 

Nassir attempted to reach Boris again. She had found a thread that felt like him, but it was blocked. Was he doing it? Or could Zoey be right? Was there something that blocked them from using telepathy or in Zoey’s case, the mating bond, to speak to each other?

She wished she could speak to Boris. Although he appeared as impassive as always, she was now able to spot a few tell-tale signs of tension. Every so often a line would appear between his eyebrows. And his eyes had grown dark.

Was he upset at what happened between them earlier? Did he regret it?

She didn’t think he often let his guard down. She blushed slightly. What if Zoey had seen them?

Perhaps he was regretting the kiss. But at least she knew this weird attraction did not go just one way. She had felt his rod lengthen against her stomach. It seemed incredibly long and thick.

Like you have anything to compare it to.

If Flencix had grown hard while kissing her, she certainly had not felt it. She shuddered at the thought. Boris raised an eyebrow and she smiled to reassure him that she was fine.

“This is all my fault,” she whispered. She was surprised that they weren’t demanding she tell them everything.

“So is there anything we need to know about your loser uncle?” Zoey asked.

Nassir sighed. “My uncle is a lazy, evil creature who gets others to do everything for him. Greed motivates him. He murdered my parents because he wished to rule, but also because he spent all of his inheritance from my grandparents. He murdered them for credits. He gave me to the one who did the actual killing as payment.”

Zoey reached over and grasped hold of her hands, which she had twisted tightly together. “Neither your uncle or this other dude will hurt you, Nassir. Dex is coming. And believe me, he’s going to be seriously pissed. We can roast some popcorn and watch Dex tear him limb from limb.”

Nassir did not know what popcorn was, but watching Dex tear her uncle apart sounded rather gruesome. Not that she didn’t wish him to suffer, but to watch…? She looked at Boris in alarm, wondering why his lips were twitching.

“You were joking?” she asked Zoey.

“What? No. Why?”

“Oh, it just sounds rather gruesome.”

Zoey frowned slightly then looked alarmed. “Oh, I didn’t mean it literally. I just meant…well, that you don’t need to worry. Dex will take care of your uncle.”

Nassir had not stopped worrying in the last few months. She did not think she could start now.

“How long were you with the guy who killed your parents before you could escape?”

Too long.

The smack of a hand against her cheek. Pain. Degradation. Humiliation.

“Nassir? You don’t have to tell us about it, but if you tell me his name we can make sure he pays for what he did.”

Boris gave a firm nod, a muscle ticking in his cheek. Was he angry on her behalf? Warmth filled her at the thought, chasing away the cold that always enveloped her when she thought of the evil one.

Hands touching her, tainting her. Her stomach lurched.

Keep it together, Nassir. No one must ever know.

She drew on her control, watching as Zoey and Boris shared a look. She knew they wanted more information, but even though she trusted them more than anyone else in this universe, she couldn’t tell them.

“Okay, we won’t ask any more questions,” Zoey said, surprising her. “If Boris starts to badger you, though, you just let me know.” She winked and Nassir actually found herself smiling. “Sometimes he just doesn’t know when to shut up.”

Boris growled at her playfully.

“Dex is going to kill me for not taking any of his warriors with me when we left the palace.” Zoey sighed.

Boris nodded.

Nassir looked at her, startled. “He would harm you?”

“What? Of course not. Dex would never lay a hand on me. It’s a human expression meaning he’s going to be really pissed at me. While these Zerconian warriors have many, many faults, they would never harm a female. In fact, most of their faults stem from their need to protect us. Idiots.”

The insult was said with a lot of affection, which confused Nassir. But then Zoey was often confusing.

“Although he did spank me once. That was not fun. Not that a bit of spanking isn’t fun in the bedroom, some people like a bit of pain with their pleasure and I’m not dissing that.”

Alarm filled her. They did? She could not help but look over at Boris who seemed to be following their conversation with a mix of interest and horror. Yes, it was definitely getting easier to read him.

“They do?”

“Oh yeah. Sometimes a good girl spanking can really get the juices flowing, ya know?”

Nassir did not know. And she was slightly shocked by this scandalous talk. Her mother would have fainted in horror by now. But she wasn’t so horrified that she was going to end the conversation. This was the first time someone had had a frank conversation with her about sex. She needed to learn all she could.

She hated that she was so naïve. How many women had Boris been with? Women with much more to offer than her, she was certain. Did he enjoy giving females spankings?

“Oh no, look at you. You’re blushing. Am I embarrassing you? Sorry, when I get nervous I talk. A lot. And I overshare. The old bat would be horrified if she heard me talking about sex. She already thinks that I’m an embarrassment to Dex.”

Nassir frowned at the shame she heard in Zoey’s voice. “I think you are wonderful.”

Zoey blinked for a moment and that sadness in her face disappeared as she grinned. “Thanks. I think I’m pretty great as well.”

Nassir was a little taken aback until Zoey winked.

“Teasing. You’re wonderful too, Nassir. You just need to stop worrying so much. You’ll give yourself an ulcer. And wrinkles. Not that you don’t have perfect skin and a perfect body.” Zoey sighed. “If they keep us in here without food for much longer I guess I might actually manage to lose a few pounds.”

“You believe they will starve us?”

Zoey shrugged. “Who knows what they intend to do?” She looked over at Boris. “Are you going to stay mad at me forever?”

Nassir was startled. “He is mad at you?”

“Yep.”

“How do you know?” He did not look angry with her.

“Because he’s giving me the silent treatment.”

“Um, Zoey?” Nassir did not wish to point out the oblivious, but…

“Yeah?”

“Boris does not speak.”

Zoey looked at her then laughed. She laughed so hard that tears leaked down her cheeks. “You are so right. He doesn’t speak.”

Nassir looked over at Boris in alarm. He shook his head then stood.

Zoey put her hand out to stop him. “It’s okay. I’m not losing it. Or maybe I am. I feel like so much is out of my control lately. I hardly ever see my mate. My mother-in-law is a complete bitch. I am doing a crap job at being a proper empress. My anniversary plans went to complete shit and now I’ve been kidnapped. And Boris doesn’t talk.”

She was not certain what Boris not speaking had to do with anything.

Zoey leaned her head back against the wall behind her, staring up at Boris. “Am I selfish, keeping you with me?”

He shook his head.

“But you have a bigger calling. Your vow…I want you with me because you’re my family. You, Dex, Elodie, Giz and Rastian, you’re all mine and I want you close and safe but if I’ve kept you with me for selfish reasons…”

Boris shook his head and crouched in front of Zoey. He reached out and grasped her hand in his, his skin dark against Zoey’s lighter tone. Nassir felt a flash of jealousy and turned away.

“Nassir, don’t.”

“Don’t what?” she asked, looking back at them.

“Don’t worry about what is between us. Boris is like my brother. We love each other, but what we feel towards each other is nothing like what is happening between the two of you. That kiss was super hot before.”

Nassir’s eyes widened. “You saw?”

“Dude, I was lying there waiting for the two of you to part for air. Then I figured I better let on that I was awake before things got any more hot and heavy, and I saw more of the two of you than I wished to.”

Nassir blushed heavily but Zoey turned back to Boris. “If you need to go, if you need to leave, then I’ll miss you. Like crazy. But I would never hold you back.”

Suddenly the door opened.

“Get your hands off my cousin’s mate,” someone roared then a large figure tackled Boris, slamming him to the ground as Zoey screamed.

Nassir sat still, shocked as Boris flipped his attacker over, straddling his body. Her heart raced with shock. What had just happened?

“Get off him!” another male yelled and joined in the fight, helping to subdue Boris.

“Let him go! Stop!” Zoey yelled as she threw herself into the fray, leaping on the second male’s back and holding on for dear life.

The shock that held Nassir frozen broke. She knew nothing about fighting. She did know that she didn’t have a chance against any male, let alone ones this big.

But she was learning something about friendship. And loyalty. And love.

With a roar so loud she surprised herself, she jumped up and joined Zoey in trying to pull the second male off Boris.

Nobody hurt her friends.

 

Boris could not believe it when the two females in his charge leapt on top of the other male. Or he could have believed it of Zoey, but he had thought Nassir might have the good sense to stand well back and keep safe.

They were both lucky he had taken a vow of silence or they would feel the sharp lash of his tongue for endangering themselves.

If they all got out of this safely.

Boris slammed his forehead into the male’s nose. He had a strange feeling of familiarity. But he could not take the moment needed to study the other male. He flipped the male off, then rolled, clasping his arm around the male’s neck. He did not have time for a slow death. He had to get to Nassir and Zoey.

If the other male harmed a hair on their heads…

“All of you stop,” a cold voice commanded.

Boris ignored him.

“Let him go or I will harm the females.”

Boris stiffened and looked behind him. A third male had joined them and he currently held a blaster to Zoey’s head. The second male had restrained Nassir, who wriggled in his hold, attempting to break free. He studied her quickly. Her hair was mussed, her clothing ripped and a scratch ran down her right cheek. He growled as he saw that. The male holding her widened his eyes.

“Get off him,” the male holding Zoey ordered in an authoritative voice. Boris knew he had to move or risk them harming Zoey and Nassir. He moved back and immediately found himself slammed to the ground, his hands drawn against his back, a knife pressed to his neck.

This was it. The end.

He supposed he should feel some peace in knowing he would see his family again. He had always assumed that he would welcome death.

Instead, he was filled with regrets that he would leave these two females he cared about alone and defenseless. That he would never again kiss Nassir, never taste her, never hear her moan and shake in his arms as he brought her to climax. Never see her smile up at him with trust and longing shining in her eyes.

“Don’t you touch him you dipshit asshole son-of-a-bitch!” Zoey screamed.

“Yes, you-you smelly man!”

Hmm, Nassir needed to work on her insults.

His head was drawn back, the knife pressed against his skin. He hissed as the sharp blade pierced his skin. He could not help but look at Nassir one last time. If only he had longer. Would he really have taken things further? Now he would never know. And the keen disappointment he felt told him how much she had gotten to him. How much he cared. He was not just interested in her sexually. There were plenty of women he could pay to fuck him.

But there was only one Nassir.

She met his gaze, the pain and despair in them an ache he felt deep inside him.

“If you hurt him then my mate will follow you to the ends of the universe. There is not a hole deep enough for you to hide in that he will not find you. I promise you that,” Zoey swore.

Something changed. He could feel it in the way the male holding him tensed. Did they really believe her? While Dex would seek revenge for the slightest harm to Zoey, he would not do so for her bodyguard.

Would he?

“I mean it. Boris is our family. You harm him and you are as good as dead. Or do you not know who my mate is?”

“We know who your mate is, female,” the one with the blaster said. “Release him, Wyan.”

“You sure? He was touching her. He has no right to touch her.”

“That’s why you have your panties in a wad? He was trying to comfort me,” Zoey said impatiently, pulling at her arm, which was still held in a firm grasp by the male with the blaster, although he no longer pointed it at Zoey. Instead he kept it firmly trained on Boris.

That suited him just fine.

When Boris felt the weight lift off him, he quickly rose and took in the other males warily. That’s when it hit him.

He stared from one to the other. It was almost as though he were looking at three mirror images. And they all looked very similar to someone Boris saw every day. Nassir seemed to see it at the same time as she gasped and stared, wide-eyed.

Zoey might have noticed too, were she not so involved in trying to free herself.

“Let go of me you ham-handed goon!” She kicked the male holding her in the leg. He didn’t even flinch, although he did frown at her. Boris stepped towards her, but the male that had held him stepped in between them.

“Do not go near her,” he snarled.

Boris raised an eyebrow. He almost seemed protective of Zoey.

Could these men be related to Dex? If so, why were they working for Tazan? Why had they kidnapped Zoey? Unless they wanted revenge on Dex for some reason?

The male in front of him turned side-on so he could keep Boris in his sights as well as the male who held Zoey.

“Jecan, do not harm her.”

“I am not harming her,” the other male said, irritated. “Maybe you should tell her the same thing as she seems to be enjoying using me as a kicking bag. Not that her kicks are harder than a child. Weak little thing, isn’t she?”

“Weak? A child? Oh, you just wait.”

Zoey moved to her right, half-facing Jecan, who still held her arm. She brought her leg back. Boris knew exactly where she intended to aim her kick and while he agreed with the sentiment, he could not be sure how the male would react to her injuring such a sensitive area.

Boris cleared his throat. Zoey turned to him and he gave her a quelling look, shaking his head slightly.

She dropped her foot with a pout. “You never let me have any fun.”

He thought he allowed her too much fun, but he would be certain to make it up to her. The next male who threatened her, she could kick in the balls at her will.

The male next to him turned to face him, looking suspicious. Then he turned to the male with the blaster. “See that, Rafal? She’s scared of him. We should eliminate him.”

“Touch him and I will squash you like a bug, you fatuous cock-sucking dickwad,” Zoey yelled.

The male looked startled. “I do not suck cocks. And I am not certain what a dickwad is, but I do not think I wish to be one.”

“It’s an insult. I don’t mean that you literally suck cocks. There would be nothing wrong with that if you did. Damn, you really know how to ruin a good insult, it’s like talking to…” She paused, her mouth dropping open and Boris knew she’d finally seen it.

She gaped as she looked from one of them to the other. “Wow, okay. Who-who are you guys?”

The one closet to Nassir spoke. “My name is Rafal. The one holding you is Jecan and lastly, that is Wyan. We are brothers.”

“Yeah, no shit Sherlock.”

“No, my name is Rafal.”

Zoey shook her head. “How did I not see it straight away? I mean, you’re not exactly like him, your eyes are a different color and you’re all a bit taller and uglier, but you look so much like…I don’t know…it can’t be right, can it?” She looked at him then Nassir. “I’m not the only one seeing it, right?”

Nassir glanced around. “No, I see it too.”

“See what?” Jecan asked, sounding irritated. “Rafal, we need to take this one up to see Tazan. We don’t want him coming to find us.” He shook Zoey.

She slapped his arm. “Hey, I’m not some fucking ragdoll, stop shaking me, you’re rattling my brains.”

“Are you certain you have some?”

Zoey gasped. “Ooh, I knew I should have smacked you in the balls. Asshole.”

Jecan narrowed his gaze. “Just try.”

“Jecan,” Rafal warned as Boris and Wyan took a step towards Zoey. This warrior confused Boris. He seemed to want to protect Zoey. Even from him.

“Jecan, do not frighten her.”

“Have you looked at her?” Jecan asked. “Does she appear frightened?”

Zoey was glaring up at the tall warrior, a fierce look on her face.

“No, but she is such a tiny little thing. Besides, she does not seem to have much good sense. She is probably very sheltered and naïve.”

Zoey’s jaw dropped open and Boris nearly grinned. Oh, this warrior might have good intentions, but he was about to get an earful.

Sure enough, the insults that spewed from Zoey’s mouth had the three warriors gaping at her in shock. Nassir stood there, her mouth open, her cheeks bright red.

There were even some new one’s that Boris had not heard.

“Enough!” Rafal said in such a commanding voice, even Zoey took notice. He seemed to be the one in charge. He grimaced. “Your mate should wash your mouth out more often.”

“Bite me,” Zoey told him.

“We would never bite you,” Wyan said, looking horrified.

Zoey opened her mouth.

“We will not bite you, but I will not hesitate to gag you if you do not quiet down,” Rafal told her.

She glared at him but said nothing. Boris hated to admit it, especially when he intended to kill these males as soon as he was able, but he was impressed by the way Rafal took charge.

“Can we not hurry up and get her to Tazan?” Jecan complained. “She has made my head ache.”

Nassir snorted. “Poor you. We have been drugged, kidnapped, and are now being taken to my evil uncle against our will and you complain over a headache.”

Boris gave her a surprised look. Attitude was expected from Zoey. Sarcasm, as she liked to say, was her first language. He had not expected it from Nassir. And retaliation worried him. While these males seemed reluctant to harm Zoey they might not feel the same about Nassir.

He tensed, prepared to attack if they attempted to harm her, but they seemed to ignore her.

“Come,” Jecan said, pulling at Zoey. As soon as Rafal let Nassir go, Boris gestured at her to come to him, but she just stared up at Rafal as she rubbed her arm where he had held her. Had he hurt her? Rage filled Boris at the thought. He moved to Nassir’s side and pulled her behind him. He stepped forward as Jecan drew Zoey towards the door.

“Do not move,” Rafal warned him, pulling a blaster out. “We will not harm her but we do not feel that way about the two of you.

“Let me go!” Zoey yelled, pulling at the hold Jecan had on her. “I’m going nowhere with you.”

Boris growled, a deep warning noise. Everyone except Zoey stiffened and turned to him, watching him warily. He wished he could risk looking back to check if Nassir was scared.

“Let go of me, jerk! Before Boris wipes the floor with your dead carcasses.”

He appreciated her vote of confidence in him, but at the moment, he had to admit that he was outnumbered.

“Why would he wipe the floor with our dead bodies?” Jecan asked, looking confused.

Zoey paused for a moment. “I may have messed that saying up, but who cares. The point is that unless you let me go, you’re dead men.”

They were dead men anyway. They’d put their hands on both Zoey and Nassir. Kidnapped them. Threatened them.

They did not deserve to live.

Jecan snorted. “He is unarmed. Outnumbered. What could he possibly do against us? He is a cripple.”

Zoey whirled and, surprising the big warrior, pulled her leg back and kicked him straight in the balls.

Boris winced as the large warrior slammed to his knees with a groan of pain. Boris leaped forward to grab Zoey, certain the large male would retaliate. Unfortunately, the other male got there first, pulling Zoey back against him. Holding her tight against the front of his body, he wrapped both of his hands around her upper arms.

“He is not crippled! Boris is deadly, protective, and loyal. Something you three need to learn. I don’t know who you are, but proper Zerconian warriors do not go around kidnapping females.”

Her comments seemed to hit them hard. Well, the two males standing. Jecan was still kneeling on the ground, his hand cupping his balls protectively. Boris cringed slightly. Zoey had always excelled at that part of her self-defense lessons.

Behind him, a small hand touched his back. He wished he could turn and check on Nassir, reassure her, but he needed to keep all his attention on the males.

“And they don’t hurt women. They protect them.”

“We are not going to harm you,” Wyan said to her, watching Jecan with no small amount of horror. “You have nothing to fear from us.”

“Nothing to fear! You kidnapped me and now you’re taking me to your evil dick employer. You just tried to kill Boris! And I’m not supposed to be scared? I’d have to be stupid not to be scared.”

“It is nice to see you have some good sense,” Rafal told her with a scowl.

Jecan slowly stood, his face a lot paler than it had been before. He took a step towards Zoey, but Boris slid between them with a snarl.

Jecan slashed his hand through the air. “Move. I am not going to harm her.”

Boris stared at him skeptically. Really?

“Not physically, anyway.”

“Step away,” Rafal commanded. “Before I shoot.”

Boris looked over at him with a snarl. But then he noted where his blaster was aimed, not at him but at Nassir. Boris studied her for a moment, noting the way she stood with her shoulders straight, glaring back at Rafal. She might be terrified, but he doubted they would realize it. He smiled. She was a worthy mate, that was for certain.

But her bravery would not save her from blaster fire.

He looked from Zoey to Nassir, torn.

Zoey was his charge, his best friend. But Nassir was…what? The woman he’d kissed? Touched?

The woman who he was starting to think could be everything.

“Protect Nassir, Boris. I got this.”

Zoey pushed up the sleeves of her dress to her elbow, ignoring that Wyan held her upper arms in a tight grasp.

Alarm filled Boris. Nassir, he could rely on to be sensible. Zoey was another story.

“We will not hurt the mouthy female,” Rafal said in a cold voice. “But the other female pays whether she is dead or alive. You would do well to do as I say. I could shoot her, then you. My life would be infinitely easier.”

“Don’t bet on it, buddy.” Zoey scowled at him.

“We are not friends,” Rafal said.

“We definitely are not. Boris, I think he means it. I’m all right.”

Boris reluctantly took a step away, keeping his gaze on the three males. If they made any move to hurt Zoey, he would strike no matter the threat to himself. He would already have done so, were it not for Nassir. Fear for her held him back. He did not like it. It weakened him.

He scowled at the thought.

“Who is the male to you?” Wyan asked Zoey.

“He’s my best friend,” Zoey asked without hesitation. “And he would cut off his good arm before hurting me. Of course, that would kind of be impossible for him to do on his own, considering his other arm is paralyzed but he’d find a way. Right, Boris?”

Boris nodded, although the other males just looked confused. It took a while to get used to the way Zoey spoke.

“She speaks in riddles,” Jecan muttered.

Wyan shook his head. “How does he understand her?”

“How does who understand me?” Zoey asked. “Boris?”

“Your mate,” Rafal replied. “Jecan, bring her. And you,” he pointed at Zoey, “give him any trouble and I’m going to shoot your best friend there.” He shook the blaster at Boris.

Zoey swallowed heavily.

Rafal turned to him as the others left. “I said we would not harm her and I meant it. But you mean nothing and neither does the female behind you. One wrong move and your lives are forfeit.”