Jenna went wild, biting down on his lower lip as she plucked at the waistband of his cargo pants.
And then, an amused snort reverberated across the passageway.
Malik froze. And although she was close to drowning in lust, Jenna did the same.
“Sorry to interrupt,” a voice drawled. “But your night is about to take a disappointing turn.”
Dazed and breathing hard, Jenna leaned back against the wall, her gaze flicking right to the tunnel they’d just stepped out of. Four broad-shouldered human males stood there, their faces shadowed by deep hoods. One of them had a laser-pistol pointed at Malik’s head.
Observing the men, Jenna wondered why she wasn’t scared. They were clearly in trouble, yet her reaction was more one of mild concern.
Time seemed to slow as Malik leaned into her once more.
“I don’t believe it,” one of the others sniggered. “He’s gonna keep going.”
“Just kill him then,” the man who’d spoken first replied. “It’s her we want, anyway.”
“Get down,” Malik whispered in Jenna’s ear.
A heartbeat later, he whirled away from her, drawing his own laser-pistol from where it hung at his side, under his cloak.
Jenna dove for the ground.
White light flashed across the tunnel and the passage beyond.
Rolling onto her side, she glimpsed the shocked faces of their attackers—three of them now, for their leader was down.
Surprise jolted through her. She recognized them.
Malik moved fast, closing in on the thugs as they raised their weapons to shoot him. He kicked the pistol out of one man’s hand and punched him in the throat, sending him flying back into his companion. While the two men reeled backward, Malik then dodged a laser bolt from the third attacker.
Jenna shielded her eyes as the bolt detonated on the wall behind Malik.
Holstering his pistol, her bodyguard kept moving—and an instant later, the hum of an igniting laser-blade echoed off the surrounding stone. The longsword blade swept in a silvery arc, decapitating the shooter. Bright-white light illuminated the dingy tunnel once more. Laser-blades had three settings: blue for sparring, orange for stun, and white for kill.
But their attackers weren’t cowed by the weapon. The two Malik had dealt with earlier came back for a second go, their curses echoing down the tunnel. Moments later, both lay sprawled at his feet.
Out of breath, Malik shut off the weapon and hooked it back onto his belt.
Gingerly, Jenna rose to her feet. Her body felt loose and fluid, and despite the dangerous situation Malik had just dealt with, her mind was oddly calm and focused. She was also impressed—she’d known her bodyguard could handle himself in a fight, but she’d never seen anyone move with such brutal precision.
“Are you all right?” she asked, stepping close to him.
Malik’s face was all hollows in the dim light. “Yes … are you?”
Jenna nodded. “Those men were drinking atThe Hook and Horn… at a table near us.”
“I recognized their faces too,” Malik said roughly. “They were after you.”
Jenna looked down at the four bodies that littered the ground around them. And despite the warm glow that still enveloped her, she shivered.
Gods, had the news of the bounty traveled that fast?
Raising her gaze once more, Jenna met Malik’s eye. She reached out then, slipping her hand into his and squeezing tight. “Let’s get out of here,” she murmured.
Ensuring their hoods were pulled up, Malik and Jenna left the bodies of their attackers sprawled in the tunnel—their blood pooling across the pale stone—and headed toward the central hub.
Despite his close brush with death, Malik felt strangely relaxed. His limbs were light, his body energized. The feel of Jenna’s hand in his caused a tingling sensation to run up his arm to his chest—and his groin started to throb once more, as it had before they’d been interrupted in the passageway.
