Dekkir (Galaxy Alien Warriors #1)(52)
She nodded, running a hand up my chest almost subconsciously. “It would also immediately make them aware that Norcross is lying about who attacked the commander. And it would make it much more difficult for him to deceive them into doing anything else, even if they can’t read him directly.” She hesitated. “But what will exposure to the Strain do to Norcross?”
I shook my head, then leaned down to nuzzle her hair again. “I don’t know, my love. When a Lyran who is incapable of connecting with others emotionally comes in contact with the Golden Strain, it kills them. It acts as a deadly poison. Most with this defect of mind and spirit who are inoculated as children do not see more than a handful of birthdays. But I do not know about humans. Norcross may drop dead. Or something unforeseen may happen to him.”
I looked down at the commander, who was improving minute by minute. I wondered what I would say to him when he finally woke up. I didn’t know whether to blame him for letting Norcross get away with so much or thank him for standing up to his superiors and trying to prevent a war. Humans could be such contradictory creatures. If Grace mystified me, this man was a puzzle beyond all interpretation.
The man’s breathing became more even and stronger by the moment. I had seen the Strain save lives this way, but I had never seen it do so quickly. I wondered if Tabirus had altered it somehow in order to have it work faster and more powerfully.
I leaned down and kissed my mate’s lips lingeringly, stealing a few precious moments before we were forced to focus back on the crisis at hand. “When we get out of this, my darling, I’m going to spend many nights making up to you the time we’ve been apart.”
She laughed huskily. “Well, we were only really apart for a few hours, but if you want to make up for lost time, I’m all for it.” She leaned up and kissed me again, and I saw the faint smile on her face. Soon, everything would be all right again, and we would spend our time making love and planning for the future instead of worrying about how we would survive the next few hours.
Our kiss intensified suddenly, both of us feeling feedback from the other’s arousal that drove me especially into an impulsive frenzy. I knew for a fact the man lying across the desk would not be conscious for at least another quarter hour, and for a moment, I sincerely considered pinning her up against the bookshelf beside his desk and seeing how much pleasure I could give her in that time.
Several sets of booted feet approached outside. I stiffened, and so did Grace. Before we could do anything, I heard pounding on the door, so hard it rattled on its hinges.
“Dammit. They’ve got to be on Norcross’s side.” Her eyes narrowed. Hastily, she reached for the uniform jacket hanging off the back of the commander’s office chair and quickly laid it over his face and chest. It hid both his healing wound and the fact he was alive.
Clever girl, I thought admiringly a moment before someone kicked in the door.
I whirled, trying to shield Grace bodily, but six rifles were suddenly pointed in my direction. I froze, shaking with anger, too aware I was unarmed and had no choice but to surrender. Grace put her hands up as well, and I heard them shouting at her to step forward.
I tried to go with her. I had barely reunited with her, and here she was in peril again and about to be taken away. But before I could do anything, four of them stepped forward and closed with me, raising their rifle butts.
I flew into a rage, seizing one of the rifles and slamming it into the skull of the nearest soldier. He went down like a sack of meal, and the others immediately panicked and went back to pointing their weapons at me instead of trying to beat me with them. I pointed the rifle back at them. I had never fired one, but they didn’t have to know that.
“That’s enough!” Norcross’s voice, his tone mocking. I looked up and saw him standing in the doorway, pointing his pistol straight at Grace. “Drop your weapon, or I’ll gun her down right here.”
My mate and I looked at each other, and a silent current of understanding ran between us. We had several wild cards Norcross was not aware of, from our powers to Tabirus’s plans. And even to the man they mistook for a corpse, lying at the desk behind me. We will win this, we swore silently to each other. I refused to lose my temper, and she refused to panic.
Norcross stepped forward and took hold of Grace by the wrist. He glanced at the guards. “You four, guard him here. Send Michaelson to the infirmary when he wakes up. I’ll be back to take care of this alien as soon as I show the rest of our men the traitor in our midst. I’m sure they’ll enjoy having some . . . fun with her. I sure will.” He spat the last part in her ear and seemed startled when she barely reacted.
Grace didn’t say anything. All she did was stare back at me as he dragged her away. The last thing I saw before the door closed were her gleaming bronze eyes, full of determination, trust, and love.
CHAPTER 22 / GRACE
“I’m going to f*ck you onstage in front of everyone,” Norcross gloated as he dragged me down the hall. “It’s what you deserve. Running off and spreading your legs for that filthy alien. Oh yeah. I’m going to punish you good. Then after I tell them everything you’ve done, I’m going to give you to them. You’ll be dead by the time they’re done with you.”
I didn’t say anything. Having his hand on my wrist made me sick. The things he said disgusted me. But I knew he was not going to win. I had faith in Dekkir, and I had faith in Tabirus. There was no damn way Norcross was going to win this one. But I still couldn’t stand the thought of the public humiliation I was about to experience.