Mission: Planet Biter (Veslor Mates #4)(32)

The human male chuckled as he took Roth’s hand, allowing himself to be pulled up. “You’re scary, man. What can I say? Anyone seeing you coming would react the same way.”

“I won’t kill you. A Razor beast will. They always target mid center of the body to take down their prey.”

“My suit will protect me.”

“It would, but you will find yourself pinned while it attempts to tear through your armor. They weigh twice what you do and are extremely strong. That means you will be useless to the rest of your team. However, when the beasts lunge, they expose their backside if they miss their target. It’s the easiest way to kill them.”

“Just shoot them in the ass,” another human from the tactical team helpfully called out.

Drak agreed. “That is true. Razor beasts have no protective scales where they sit. It might not be the most honorable way to take down prey, but it is the fastest.”

“You do not want a Razor beast to pin you.” Gnaw’s expression was amused as he made eye contact with the members of Team Five, whom they were training for an upcoming mission. “Our suits are hard-shelled, and once they realize their claws and teeth can’t penetrate, they might mistake you for a female—and they are always horny.”

“No way!” one of the humans gasped.

“Way.” Gnaw grinned. “We trained some Arbellions to fight them. They also wear armor. One of their males didn’t learn well, and a beast pinned him.”

“I remember that,” Maith chuckled. “We were laughing too hard to pull the beast off him right away. The Razor believed he’d found a female to breed.”

Roth shook his head, smiling too. “Avoid that traumatic experience by learning what you are taught. Keep eye contact and dodge when they leap to pin you. It is important to―”

“Which one of you is Roth?”

They all turned, seeing a human female in civilian clothing rushing toward them. Roth strode toward her. Most civilians never entered their training room. “I am Roth.”

She was an older female, one he didn’t know, but there were a lot of humans on Defcon Red. She was slightly out of breath as she stopped. “I’ve seen you Veslors around and know you’re on the tactical team. I was hoping I’d find you here.”

Maith growled.

Roth ignored him, knowing his medic hated when humans sought them out to appease their curiosity, wishing to talk to an alien. “You have found us. What do you want?”

She pushed her pale silver hair back from her face. “Some woman was yelling for you. I forgot her name. She looked really scared and begged everyone in the bar to call you. You’re not listed in the directory, so I came down here.” The female chewed on her bottom lip. “I have daughters, and that girl is about their age. Those security bullies hit her in the back with a shock stick and knocked her out before they carried her off. It was totally unnecessary. She wasn’t fighting them; she was just really scared.”

Roth tensed. “What did this female look like?”

“About my height, kind of skinny, with dark curly hair.”

“Vera?”

“Yes! I think that’s what she said her name was.”

He snarled, seeing a red haze. Someone had hurt Vera.

The female staggered back, an alarmed expression on her face.

He got control of his temper. “Apologies. Who hit her?”

“Security stunned her. They were saying the man who collapsed in the bar on level three was poisoned. I was there having a drink. Security said she did it, but she was swearing she was innocent—and I believe her. I raised three kids and half a dozen of their friends. I can spot a lie a mile away. That’s not what I saw on that poor girl’s face.”

“Thank you.” Roth dodged around her and sprinted toward the door. Once he reached the corridor, he increased his pace.

The female had mentioned level three. He reached the lift, then punched the wall out of frustration, having no patience that it didn’t immediately open.

Roth heard his grouping coming behind him, and he glanced their way. They paused at his side, all three appearing worried. “You heard?”

“We heard.” Maith stepped closer. “Calm yourself.”

Roth growled. He didn’t want to be calm. Someone had stunned Vera.

The lift opened, and he rushed inside. “Move.”

His males got in fast and they headed toward level three.

“It may not be her,” Gnaw reasoned.

“Did you hear that older female?”

“Yes.” Gnaw sighed. “It probably is Vera. Why would she poison a male?”

“She wouldn’t.” Roth refused to believe it.

The lift doors opened on level three and he pushed past his males, sprinting toward the security office. They were clearly marked on the walls, easy to find on every deck. He made it to the door and slowed.

The door automatically opened and he stormed inside. Two females wearing security uniforms were seated behind a counter, and he could see their surprise as they looked at him.

“Where is Vera Wade?”

Both females flinched as his deep, harsh tone. One got to her feet and reached for the blaster strapped to her waist belt. “She’s being processed.”

“What does that mean?” Roth didn’t like the sound of that.