Chapter 29
Dawn stared at the plots of data on her console, her brain trying to make sense of the most rudimentary aspects of her recent experiment. Things she should know like the back of her hand were suddenly impossible to remember, and it was all because of him.
She was trying like hell to banish the memory of those strong arms around her. To dispel the feeling of what it was like to be cherished, to be made love to so passionately. Even if it was all a lie, there was nothing in her life that could compare to what she’d experienced with Z.
Without warning, she felt a chill over her body. Something wasn’t right. Dawn turned around to see her lab filling with a dark cloud. From the cloud stepped two figures.
She would have screamed but she was too surprised. So instead she stared at them dumbly as they approached.
“Who are you?” she asked. “How did you get in here?”
The blond one laughed. “Just a routine shift between the immaterial and the material. All the kids these days are doing it.”
Dawn sputtered. Did he mean teleportation? That particular technology had not yet been developed in the seven known galaxies that she was aware of. “This is private property. I’ll thank you to leave now.”
“I’m afraid we can’t do that.” This came from the bald one. He was not quite as tall as the blond, with darker skin and striking blue eyes. “You see, we’ve come for the Guardian.”
Holding her face as still as possible, Dawn replied. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now get out, or I’ll be forced to call the authorities.”
The blond one chuckled and moved closer. “Try it, little lady, and see what happens.”
The threat was obvious. The blond was almost as tall as Z and just as muscular. He kept his gaze trained on Dawn, a crooked but sinister smile on his face.
“We know she was here,” the bald one said. “I saw it in that Vartik’s mind. And boy, does he have a thing for you.”
Dawn shook her head. “I don’t know what you mean.”
The bald man shrugged. “Sure you do. Pretend if you want, but I can see it all.” He pointed to his head. “In here.”
“Not to mention that Nightmare finally stumbled back from wherever he’s been these past millennia and told us that she’d slipped away from him,” the blond one added. “We figured we’d start the search at her last known location. Your lab.”
Dawn’s stomach was tying itself in knots. The Vartiks had mentioned the possibility of demons they’d called Seekers coming after them, but Dawn hadn’t expected herself to be involved. Fear coated her throat with metal, making her want to vomit up the contents of her stomach.
She forced herself to stay brave. “Get out,” she demanded, pointing toward the exit. “Ladee, call the cops.”
Both men turned to see who she was addressing. Ladee was crouched behind a console, only his tail poking over the top of it. He stuck his head out when she called him, and they turned back, twin looks of amusement on their faces.
“Did she just ask that puppet to call the authorities?” the blond asked.
“I think it’s a stuffed animal,” the other one replied. Then they returned their focus to Dawn.
“I’m warning you,” she said, bluffing for all she was worth. “He’s calling the interstellar police and they’ll be here so fast—”
“Shh,” Blondie said, holding a finger to his lips as he crept closer. “You’re outmatched, sweetheart. Whatever we want from you, we’ll take.”
The evil male licked his lips, and suddenly, Dawn went from scared to terrified. “Leave me alone,” she pleaded, backing away but hitting her workbench. The blond caged her in, his arms placed on either side of her, his height causing her to bend back to look into his face.
“We aren’t going anywhere until we get the information we need.”
“I won’t tell you anything,” she promised, her voice soft but laced with steel.
“I like a good fight,” the blond said.
“Then you’ll get it.” Ladee rolled out of his hiding place at top speed, rushing toward them. He held out his paws, and Dawn sent out a mental cheer. A laser blasted from each paw, aimed at both of the intruders. The lasers hit their marks.
Unfortunately, they did not have the intended effect. The beams passed right through the men as their shapes became transparent. Ladee blasted away with all he had, almost completely draining his internal batteries.
Nothing happened.
