Even if she would never awaken, she would still provide a wealth of information. The crystal itself, once Dawn figured out how to open it, could have a hundred or more applications. It was lightweight enough for Dawn to lift on her own without a struggle but dense enough to stop the strongest laser she possessed.
Still, the most exciting advances would come if she could find a way inside the alien female’s unconscious mind. If her theory was correct, the woman was in some sort of coma and wouldn’t wake by any normal means. Dawn had been working on a few modifications to existing neural networking technology to take it someplace it had never before been successfully used.
There has to be a way into that crystal. She had a list of things to try, and finally, she had the credits she needed to get her equipment. Abandoning the shrouded figure, Dawn stepped up to a console and reinstated her order to the delivery company. A few more punches, and she’d tripled her order, requesting gear she couldn’t have afforded without the infusion her investor had provided. Within the next few hours, drone ships equipped with robot carriers would bring a stack of parcels to her doorstep. Then she could get started on perhaps the greatest exploration of her career.
Her thoughts flashed to the oversized man currently holed up in her storage room. Last night had been the greatest exploration of her personal life, but it had ended before she’d achieved her mission entirely. In the harsh light of morning—okay, afternoon—she’d discovered that her personal life and her career had crashed together like differently charged particles, helpless to deny their attraction to one another.
You need to stop that line of thinking right now, her inner voice demanded.Although you may feel a level of attraction to the handsome oaf, it doesn’t mean he feels the same. He’s attempting to use you.
Dawn frowned.Instead, I’ll use him. Whoever, or whatever, he is.
The five million credits were already more than half gone, and they hadn’t even discussed what sort of terms he wanted for his investment. But then, Dawn supposed it didn’t matter. She’d find a way to get rid of the sexy spy one way or another, without revealing her research or cutting him in on the profits. It would be fitting payback for the way the Hills had fucked her over with Brian.
Realizing that she’d need to put in some quick legwork to make sure her fake investor stayed out of her business, Dawn began putting together a rudimentary holo-emitter. She fastened the emitter arrays to each end of the stasis unit, then initiated the protocol.
What had once been a blood-red crystal housing a beautiful maiden now appeared to be a pile of electronic junk. Tubes and wires and interlocked gears formed an unpleasant mess that greeted the unsuspecting eye, completely disguising the artifact. Dawn gave a smile at her handiwork, then hurriedly covered the unit with a sheet again as she heard the storage-room door open behind her.
Turning around, she managed a blank expression as she watched her uninvited guest walk in her direction. Dawn had to admit, he was the finest specimen of manhood she’d ever had the pleasure of observing. She had to remind herself that he was a spy bent on her destruction, not someone she could spend the next several hours touching, kissing, licking with abandon.
His voice came out in a deep, well-modulated drawl. “I don’t suppose you’ve got anything to eat around here?”
Her smirk was automatic. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I forget to show you our gourmet restaurant?Intergalactic Eatery Quarterlygave it four tentacles up.”
His expression remained neutral, but she thought she detected a twinkle of amusement in his dark eyes. “As I don’t trust you to let me back in again, I can’t return to my ship for a meal. So what do you say I order in for us?”
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Perhaps we should get something straight. This is my laboratory, and I keep my own schedule. There’s really no place for you here. Why don’t you return to your ship and I’ll let you know once I hit my first milestone and have something to report?”
Her companion let out a harsh laugh. “Looks like you can’t be won over with something as simple as a takeout dinner.” He stepped closer until he was looming over her in a way that made her body start to tingle. “I’m here to stay, Dr. Illya, so you might as well get used to it. I won’t get in the way of your research, but I won’t roll over and follow your every command either. We’re partners now, whether you like it or not.”
Dawn let out a rush of air in a huff. “I don’t know where you get off, thinking you can just push your way into my lab and set up shop.”
“I don’t get off by thinking, usually, although I must admit the thought of you might just do it.”
She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks. If she’d heard those words from anyone else’s mouth, she’d have been righteously offended. But for some reason, when he said them, instead of getting pissed, she got weak in the knees.
His smile was slow, his movements even slower, and it took Dawn a moment to realize he was leaning in closer, his eyes full of intent.
He’s going to kiss me. He’s going to kiss me, and I’m going to let him.
The intercom buzzed. “Delivery,” came the robotic whine through the speakers.
Dawn risked a glance at her companion. His eyes narrowed in anger at the interruption. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ladee start making his way toward the door.
“I’ll get it,” she burst out, pulling away from the handsome male and almost running toward the door.
Her mind was spinning, her body even now calling for her to go back, to throw herself into his arms and let him bring her the pleasure she knew he could show her. Instead, she dashed up to the lock console and punched in the code with shaking fingers.
The door opened, revealing the delivery droid stationed there. It was a compact unit, rolling forward on a gyroscopic track allowing for movement over any terrain. Multiple arms equipped with different manner of grips carried packages of varying size. “Where do you want these?” it barked in its metallic voice.
“Pile them here,” Dawn said, leading the droid closer to her main workbench. “Just don’t stack the heavier items on top of the lighter ones.” The droids were convenient, but their AI was relatively simple.
“Typical female,” his voice said from behind her, causing her to turn around jumpily. “Already gone shopping, I see.”
Although she could detect a teasing note in his voice, his observation still grated. “Look, Z, wasn’t it?” He inclined his head with a half-smile that irked her even more. “I need these supplies to begin my work. And weren’t you the one asking after a meal? Groceries are part of this delivery.”
He leaned in closer, his nostrils flaring. “I’m kidding,” he murmured. “I know there’s nothing typical about you.” He looked her up and down, making Dawn feel like he was seeing through her clothing to the blushing skin underneath. “And if you’re going to call me Z, maybe I could call you something less formal than Doctor?”
“I’m calling you Z because Jeffrey Peter Sloane is so obviously a made-up name that I won’t dignify its use.”
