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And then Daisy was there, standing over him as she loosened the bindings around his arms and legs. She swiped the goo off his face and clamped her hands either side of his cheeks.

Her eyes were sparkling purple. Damn! The energy transfer had changed her in more ways than he’d expected. He swallowed down his shock.

She winked at him. “Hey, big guy. Let’s get the hell off this ship.”

Chapter 14

Daisy felt like Wonder Woman. Her veins fizzed with Apexian energy as she held Rexx up. But he wasn’t doing so good. He was colder than she’d ever felt him, and deep shudders ran through him. He’d given her too much energy, and he was fading fast.

She staggered under his weight as they headed into the corridor. They made it to the end of the corridor and were about to turn right when footsteps approached.

Daisy dragged Rexx into a nearby room and sealed the door shut. She barely breathed as they waited for the Gente to pass.

“It won’t take long until they figure out what’s happened,” she whispered. “We’ve landed. I know we’re on Laire. We can get off the ship and find somewhere to hide.”

“That sounds like a plan.” Rexx’s voice was tight, his hand clamped over the leaking wounds on his stomach. They’d had no time to treat him, and he was leaving a blood trail anyone could follow when they started looking for them.

“Are you sure you can hold on?” Daisy adjusted her grip on him. “I may feel like an Apexian warrior, but even I have my limits. I don’t think I can carry you out of here.”

“I’m good. We’ll make it. The guards have gone. Let’s keep going.”

Daisy slid open the door and risked a peek into the corridor. It was empty.

They’d just rounded the corner when they came face-to-face with a Gente guard and Ambassador Ulut.

The ambassador made a gargling sound in the back of his throat. Two of his muscular tentacles thrust out and grabbed at Daisy. She ducked, pushed Rexx against the wall, and slammed her hand into the gross gooey mass of the ambassador’s vast stomach.

Hot, foul smelling goo engulfed her up to her elbow. She grabbed a handful and yanked it out. That would teach this jerk to mess with her and her guy. She threw a handful of goo onto the floor.

The ambassador wobbled and slid away, his tentacles retreating.

The Gente guard lunged. Oh, hell, no. They weren’t taking her again. Daisy ducked, avoiding his punch, and slammed the flat of her foot into his knee.

There was a sickening crack, and he roared with pain as he fell to the floor.

She could get used to having this much strength. Daisy didn’t hesitate. She slammed her fist under the Gente’s jaw as he tried to stand, and he crashed back. He didn’t get up.

Daisy advanced on the Inkral ambassador, grabbed a disgusting tentacle, and gave it a hard yank.

Ambassador Ulut squealed. “Stop. Don’t kill me.”

“It’s what you had planned for me and Rexx.” She twisted the tentacle. “Why should I spare your useless life?”

The ambassador gargled again. “I can get you off the ship. I know the access code to unlock the ramp. You need that if you’re going to get away. If I help you escape, you can’t kill me. You need me.”

“I can do what I damn well like. You had the Gente insert your technology inside me so I could be your experiment. I thought I was losing my mind. I wasn’t in control of myself half the time. You did that to me. You deserve to die.”

“Daisy.” Rexx’s voice was just a whisper.

She dug her fingernails into the tentacle and risked a glance at Rexx. Shit, he was in real trouble. Blood was freely leaking from the wounds on his stomach as he lay on his side.

“Let me go and I’ll get your friend medical treatment,” Ambassador Ulut said. “I can get you the best help.”

Daisy yanked on the tentacle and dragged the ambassador over to Rexx. She placed one hand on Rexx’s forehead. “Stay with me. We’re almost off the ship. I know this planet. We can get help. If you die on me now, I’m gonna be really pissed.”

Rexx huffed out a laugh. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The tentacle around Daisy’s wrist tightened. She gave it a hard tug. “Don’t get any ideas, slimeball. You’re our ticket off this ship. If you keep your mouth shut, keep your word, and unlock the ramp, I may leave some of your tentacles intact. You screw with us, even for a second, and you’re dead.”