With agonizing slowness, the Ozevroc turned back to the conversation with his partner, oblivious to Ari just down the hall. Seizing the opportunity, Ari edged backward, retracing his steps with painstaking care. He navigated the maze of corridors, using the gentle hum of the ship and the faint glow of the walls as his guide. He kept each step deliberate, every movement painstakingly slow to avoid detection.
After an eternity, Ari heard voices. Random hisses, growls, and grunts in male tones. When Morgan’s female tenor matched the same sounds, he grinned as his heart raced. Look at him, finding his way back without getting caught.
Peeking around the corner to the open hatch of the engine/hanger room, he spied the dynamics going on. There was that chief guy… Well-oz, or something like that. Boy, this time, the alien really looked pissed. He was spitting more than usual in his language and waving that ridiculous staff around as if he was going to hit Morgan with it.
Ari’s neck burned. He had to get in there and protect her. If only he could somehow create a diversion…
A remaining pile of discarded steel and metal not only crashed into a single heap on the floor, but it captured several Ozevroc under some of the heavier pieces. The chaos that followed came with high-pitched screams among the rush of Ozevroc claws clicking on the floor as the ones not caught in the avalanche raced to their comrades.
By the unending abyss, how did that happen?
No time to wonder, time for action. He quickly assessed the situation and saw his chance to slink across the back wall where no one was looking. He snuck up behind Morgan and placed his hand on her shoulder. She jumped, then turned around, her golden-green eyes wide.
“Dang, girl. How dare you have a little party and not invite me? Shame on you.” He smirked.
Morgan swallowed hard to calm her racing heart. She slapped his hand away in reflex. “What the hell, Ari?” she hissed. She glanced around, making sure none of the Ozevroc was paying attention to them. “Where have you been?” The sight of his naked neck made her suck in a breath. “And where’s yournuteshsnare?“ How in the hell did he get the damn thing off?
Ari’s gray eyes widened as he fingered his thick, muscular neck. “By the horned crown of Enlil, I have no idea.”
Moran narrowed a glance at him. Enlil? What was with this guy and ancient Babylonian gods?
The commotion was winding down as the Ozevroc dug their comrades out from the mess as Welozz hissed and sputtered commands at them.
Spying a black neck scarf she sometimes wore when the heat was on the fritz, she grabbed it and waved it in front of Ari. “Quick, wrap this around your neck so Welozz doesn’t notice your collar is gone.”
Breathing a sigh of relief when he didn’t argue with her, she watched him wrap the cloth around his neck. As the High Chieftain stomped back, she smoothed her face and looked at his feet after he stopped in front of her.
“Listen, High Chief,” Morgan raised a hand to forestall the alien berating her again. “Have your troops finish searching this area so you know for certain we didn’t take your sacred object. In the meantime”—she gestured between her and Ari—“let us help you find it. You know, a different perspective might be all you need to locate where it went. And the sooner the better. Am I right?”
Welozz snorted, making loose bits of snot flare out. Tense moments passed before he decided. “Human find or human die.” His four black eyes studied Ari, then her. He turned his staff on the shorter, ocher-colored Ozevroc at his side. “Bugurr, watch troops. If sacred talon found, say immediate.” He headed for the doorway. Over his shoulder he snarled, “We go. Follow.” A small group of Ozevroc went with him.
“Does that mean they’re sparing us?” Ari asked.
“Yeah.” Morgan clipped her multicorder to her belt. “Lucky us, we’re going to play Sherlock and Watson.” She could tell he wanted to ask her what that meant, but she didn’t give him a chance. “Come on, we’ve got to find a priceless relic for the Ozevroc so they don’t kill us.”
Ari whistled and shoved his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “Sounds like fun. Can’t wait to see how this turns out.”
Chapter Four
Morgan’sheadspunasshe followed the group of Ozevroc to their Sanctum of Reverence. There were so many questions rattling around in her head it was hard to concentrate on one thing.
Like, who took the sacred relic of the Ozevroc? She doubted it was any of them. It couldn’t be any of the slaves they usually had on board. They sold all those beings at their last stop, which left no one else around to steal it. She knew she didn’t. That left only one other person. The man walking next to her. Not only had he somehow taken hisnuteshsnare off, but it left him free to leave the engine room and disappear.
So, did he take the relic? If so, why? And what did he do with it? If he didn’t take it, then where did he go and what did he do?
She took a step back and studied his backside, at first looking for where he could carry the Ozevroc relic. Nope, nothing between this man and his tight jeans. Pursing her lips, she stole a precious moment to appreciate the flow and ebb of his thick thighs and glorious ass working as he walked.
When he turned to look at her over his shoulder, she tilted her chin up and resumed her place next to him.
No way was he carrying that thing on his person. Did that mean he took it somewhere and hid it? Hopefully not in the engine room. No way she’d convince Welozz of her innocence then. Her pulse sped up, bringing heat to her neck and cheeks. What kind of game was Ari playing? Did the man really have amnesia?
Her shoulders slumped. Yeah, she had every reason to think he did. When she’d first scanned her multicorder over him, it confirmed he suffered from memory loss. But that didn’t answer where he went after she fell asleep. Or what happened to his slave collar.
Well, the only way to get her answers was to talk to him. A private sit-down was on the agenda. She needed answers. But she’d have to do it away from the Ozevroc.
High Chieftain Welozz stopped before an obvious doorway, causing Morgan to jerk out of her musings. She glanced around, and her eyes widened when she noticed they were on a whole other level of theNebula Viperthan she’d been in before. Great. Instead of paying attention to where they were going, she’d moved around in a fog, worrying about Ari. She resolved to not let that happen again.
With a snarl and growl, Welozz prayed for the door to open with a flourish of his staff and open arms, all six of them.
