“That was fucking awful.” He gags as Ghosie phases right back through like it doesn’t affect him.
I rub his back, pushing some healing into him. We don’t need the three of them incapacitated if anyone comes this way. Xavier and Zeydan keep watch. Zeydan lets his tails free again, and the nine of them disappear. I guess they are going to keep watch since he can see through their eyes.
Ghosie goes back and forth two more times, bringing Brannock and then Saxon. I push healing into both of them too, but my worry for Saxon increases. He isn’t back to full strength since his wound, and the phasing hasn’t helped.
“You need to take some of my blood,” I insist, holding up my wrist.
“We don’t have time for you to orgasm, Lila,” Brannock hisses. I forgive him for being an asshole because he is super close to being reunited with his daughter. Any other time, I would have said a cutting comment and given him a withering stare—not to mention he is also right.
“Make it hurt,” I instruct my Vilaxian, and he must feel pretty fucking awful because he doesn’t argue, just takes my wrist and bites down.
“Holy fuck,” I whisper-scream as the pain pierces my nerves and shoots through my limbs. Each mouthful is agonizing as he seems to rip the blood from my veins. Tirrian reaches for me, but Xavier stops him.
Xavier puts his hands on my head, and I’m instantly projected somewhere else. The two of us are standing in the grotto of the place where we sealed our intimate bond.
“What are we doing here?” I ask him, and he shakes his head and smiles.
“We’re not really. I just took hold of your mind to distract you. You wouldn’t have lasted without screaming, and then everyone would know we are here.” He leans in and kisses me, or I guess he manipulates my mind to think we are kissing, but it feels so real, so I just go with it.
“Lila,” Saxon calls, and Xavier releases my mind, and I return to reality. Saxon’s skin is back to its normal color, and his eyes are clear and bright. “Thank you.” He kisses me, and I cup his cheek.
“Anything for you, my love.” It’s the truth. I would carve out my heart for any of these men.
“Okay, what do you say we bust some heads and rescue us some aliens?” Xavier slaps Brannock on the back, and the two of them take the lead.
Zeydan studies me closely, making sure I’m okay, before he follows. Saxon, Ghosie, and Tirrian hang back with me, and we bring up the rear, our weapons at the ready.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Lila
My body is wound so tightly, my muscles ache as we slowly make our way through the facility. Zeydan’s tails are spread out, supplying us with all the locations of the remaining staff. We are adjacent to the door to the office area where Smith took us to sign all the paperwork for Brannock the one time I had been to the facility.
Back then, I thought they were a legit agency trying to keep the knowledge of aliens on the down-low from the general public, and maybe, once upon a time, it started like that, but Smith’s corruption poisoned a once credible agency. Now, we know better. Now, we need to wipe out the rot and clean house, then install trusted personnel to return it to the agency it needs to be—one that provides support and help to all extraterrestrials making Earth their home for now.
We’ve taken out a lone guard who I think was trying to make a run for it. He didn’t even put up a fight. Before any of the guys could kill him, I froze him and told the others we would deal with him when we had seen to the others. I couldn’t, in goodconscience, just kill him, especially since he surrendered, wide-eyed and terrified, at the sight of the six aliens escorting me.
Now, Xavier has sent out probes and knows there are six admin staff inside that area. I’m sure they are all military trained in this kind of complex, but I want to give them the chance to surrender, even Bitchy McBitch face. Maybe they don’t have a choice in where they work or who they work for and have no clue what is truly behind the secret door.
“On my command.” Zeydan waves a hand, and his magic explodes the door inward. The sounds of gunfire are loud in the quiet hall, the muzzle flashes competing with the red glow of the emergency lighting, which must be on a different system from the generators. It literally must be the only thing that works, though, because it is stifling hot inside, so the HVAC system must have been taken offline as well.
I wipe my sweaty brow as we wait for the furious barrage of bullets to stop. They are just firing randomly, and none of them are even close to hitting us.
Finally, we hear the telltale sound of empty weapons clicking and the panicked whispers of them saying they are out of bullets. Zeydan sends his tails in. The shouts of fright are loud, and we can hear terrified movements. The seven of us follow, and when two of the three females and one male see my escort, the shouts turn to screams and pleading for their lives. Of course, Bitchy McBitch face has to put on a show.
“You,” she sneers, glaring at me with undisguised hatred. “Smith knew you were going to be a problem. He’s going to take great joy in killing you. I will get a promotion for handing you over.”
I give her a little finger wave and see her reach for a letter opener on her desk.
“Uh-uh,” I tut and point my weapon at her, gesturing for her to join the other three cowering on the ground. They made the right decision to surrender.
“Is this the same Smith who fled Earth and is now currently halfway across the galaxy, trying to save his weaselly ass?” Tirrian asks casually, but smoke drifts out of his nostrils, and his wings flare up high, causing the three on the ground to cower with their hands over their heads.
“He wouldn’t leave me behind,” she argues, shaking her head. “He promised to take me wherever he went.”
“He lied,” Brannock says flatly, and she turns pale at the sight of him.
“You! Oh my god, we’re all going to die!” She starts to shake, and tears drip down her face.
