Theirs to Correct, page 16
“I’ve got your phone,” Emily told her. “Go!”
Vixen sprinted across the hall, Emily on her heels. They were greeted by a surveillance drone that hadn’t been there when Emily arrived. Vixen didn’t pause to fire at it. Marissa had seen them. There was no point trying to hide her identity now. They ran across the back yard, but energy pulses zipped past before they could reach the alley. This day just got better and better.
One of the garage bays was open, so Vixen dragged Emily into the only thing resembling cover between them and her car. Using crates, a lawnmower, and dilapidated wheelbarrow they erected a pathetic barricade. Vixen made sure there was a small break where they could run for the car if the opportunity presented itself, but chances of that were looking pretty dismal.
She had more guns in her car, though it was doubtful Emily could shoot. She’d been surrounded by armed security most of her life. “Are these jerks with you or Marissa?” She hadn’t meant the question to sound so accusatory, but she was having a shitty day.
“Marissa,” Emily insisted. “I chose to run because my cadre was trying to find out who the hell you are. I put myself in danger to protect you.”
“Sorry.” She scanned the area trying to ascertain the scope of the threat. Kobar warriors traveled in packs. There had to be more than two, so where the hell were they? “The timing was just suspect.”
“I know.” Emily sighed. “To my knowledge, Marissa couldn’t have known we were here, so why the hell did she come? And she brought her cadre. That can’t be good news for the Scotts.”
Emily was right. This soon after Marissa’s capture, it was highly unlikely her cadre would have allowed her to visit her rebel leader grandparents just because she missed them. A pulse blast ricocheted off the wall of the garage before Vixen could puzzle it through any farther. They both gasped and sank lower behind the barricade.
Damn it. Her bullets weren’t going to last long enough to get them to the car at this rate. She waited until the bastard fired again then used the arc of his shot to determine his location. She fired once, but wasn’t sure if she hit him or not.
Suddenly the blond she’d seen in the hall ran across the backyard. He alternated his path, zigzagging to decreases her chances of hitting him. Smart alien. She didn’t waste a bullet, returning her attention to the other target instead. He leaned out from behind the shed, likely to see her more clearly. She aimed carefully and fired, but the bastard jerked back just in time to avoid her bullet.
A barrage of pulse blasts followed and Vixen knew the situation was going to get worse not better. She’d lost track of the blond and reinforcements were doubtlessly on the way. “We have to run for it.” She glanced at Emily. “And run like hell.”
Emily nodded so Vixen took off at full speed. She made it to the car and glanced back as she threw open the driver’s door. Emily was nowhere in sight. What the fuck? She squinted into the gloom of the garage and spotted the blond leaning over what had to be Emily.
Had he killed her? Panic jolted Vixen followed by fury. She shot several times as fast as she could then dove in behind the wheel. Pulse blasts echoed her shots, a couple hitting the side of her car. She activated the engine with an impatient push of the starter button then looked in the rearview mirror. The blond stood just outside the garage with Emily in his arms. She hung there limp and still. Please, God, let her be unconscious and not—
Refusing to finish the thought and knowing she had no other option, Vixen slammed the car in gear and tore off down the alley.
Chapter 7
“Why is she still unconscious?” Nayez’s heart thudded in his chest and his worried gaze focused on Emily’s pale face. He felt the shuttle leave the ground, but couldn’t drag his attention away from their mate.
“Varren used a compulsion to keep her from running after Vixen,” Brydon explained. “He said it’s better to let the effects wear off naturally. However, if she hasn’t stirred when we are ten minutes out, I will give her a mild stimulant.”
Nayez nodded. Brydon and Nayez had flown to Dallas with their security detail. Once Emily headed off to visit the Scotts, Lahval joined them on the eight-passenger shuttle, and the security team moved to the smaller ship.
Brydon placed Emily on Nayez’s lap after retrieving her from inside the Scotts’ house. Nayez refused to move her to the seat beside him. There was plenty of room on the bench-style seat, but he couldn’t make himself let go.
“What can I do for you, Commander?”
The formality in Brydon’s tone made Nayez look toward the front of the ship. SC Byrne’s image dominated the main display.
“We are still sorting through all the information that was confiscated at the Scotts’ house, but a couple of the developments affect you directly.”
“Has Vixen been apprehended?” Brydon asked hopefully.
“Her real name is Victoria Somersby and Xoktal has her scent, or psychic imprint. It is only a matter of time now. Your cadre has served me faithfully and played your part extremely well. Let Xoktal finish the job.” When Brydon remained silent, Jesorax added, “That wasn’t a suggestion. You have other targets, other priorities. You will focus on them now.”
“Yes, Commander,” Brydon said.
“We have the messages and know how they were being distributed. The programmer behind it all, however, remains unconfirmed. The most likely suspects are Emily and Charlotte Delacroix.” Jesorax’s gaze shifted from Brydon to Lahval. “You look as if I’ve just unraveled the mysteries of the universe. I didn’t think any of you would be surprised by this.”
“I am not, sir, but it explains so much.” He pivoted his seat halfway around so he could see Brydon and Nayez. “She wasn’t just protecting her friends. She was protecting her little sister.”
Brydon shook his head, looking a bit embarrassed. “How could we not have guessed that it was something like this?”
“You are absolutely certain that Emily is not involved?” Jesorax didn’t sound convinced.
“Her support has always been indirect. She is not the programmer,” Brydon said emphatically. “I am so sure of it that I would like to interrogate Charlotte. We were unable to bring you Vixen. Give us the opportunity to redeem ourselves.”
Jesorax shot Brydon an impatient look. “You do not need to ‘redeem’ yourselves. You have done everything I asked and more. Still, I was not looking forward to questioning a belligerent teen. I will give you the first forty-eight hours. After that I will have no choice but to question her myself.”
“Thank you, sir. We will make the most of them.”
The connection terminated and Brydon contacted the head of his security team. “Proceed to the White House immediately and take Charlotte Delacroix into custody. I will notify Sector Leader Three that you are acting with the supreme commander’s permission. Take her to Post 4-6A and await further instructions.” After receiving a confirmation, he turned so he could see Nayez as well as Lahval.
“So what’s the plan here?” Lahval wanted to know. He was piloting the shuttle. Brydon sat at his side in the other forward-facing seat. “Do we have an actual strategy or are we just winging it?”
“You never interact with humans, so how are you picking up their vernacular?” Brydon shot him an impatient glare.
Lahval chuckled, his mood irrationally buoyant. Didn’t he realize what was at stake? “I find many of their phrases uniquely expressive.”
“And nonsensical.”
“That didn’t answer my question,” Lahval reminded.
“If Emily chooses to stay with us, convincing her sister to confess will be her first act as our mate.”
“If?” Nayez objected, his arms automatically tightening around her.
“It’s time for Emily to choose,” Brydon said firmly. “We cannot force her to be our mate, and I do not want a lottery girl.”
Lahval smiled, unmoved by Brydon’s ominous tone. “She is much closer to surrender than you think. Our trip down here gave me the opportunity to ascertain her feelings. All she really needs from us is reassurance. She needs to know that she means more to us than physical pleasure and eventual offspring.”
Brydon did not argue, nor did he relent.
They lapsed into silence for a time. Nayez brushed the hair back from her face. He wanted to accept Lahval’s reassurance, but he shared Brydon’s apprehension. Insecurity wasn’t a challenge Nayez faced often. Still, he had been tortured by the thought of losing Emily. Like Brydon, Nayez did not want some random female in his life. He wanted Emily and only Emily.
The rebellion would demand their attention soon enough. Tonight they would focus on Emily and advance toward claiming their mate. At least, that’s what Nayez hoped that Brydon had in mind. It was obvious that Brydon was as captivated by Emily as Lahval and him. Sector Leader Four, however, was still heavily encumbered by his past.
“We’re approaching the coordinates,” Lahval said half an hour later. “Looks like you need to wake her up.”
Brydon nodded and got up from his seat beside Lahval. He retrieved the medkit from one of the rear compartments and pulled out an auto-injector. After pressing it against the side of Emily’s neck, he straightened and watched her closely. Nothing happened for a heart-pounding moment, then she groaned and gradually stirred.
Her long lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes and looked around. “What happened?”
“Varren Oseff from Sector Eight put you to sleep with a mental command,” Brydon explained conversationally. “Just relax. The wooziness will pass in a moment or two.”
She sat up far enough to look at the main display. “Where are we?” She still sounded muddled.
“We’re halfway between Colorado Springs and Washington DC.” Nayez used the human terms to make sure she understood the significance.
Blinking several times, she appeared to work through the lingering cobwebs. “Are we heading toward DC or Colorado Springs?” She recovered enough to scoot off his lap and move to the bench beside him.
Brydon stood directly in front of her. There was plenty of room for him to sit down, but he chose to maintain height advantage. Nayez wanted to punch him. A confrontation was not what they needed right now.
“Our destination is your choice,” Brydon told her. “We have made our intentions toward you clear. Now it is time for you to decide what you want to do. If you are interested in continuing our courtship, we will be thrilled to have you. If you are not interested in being claimed by us, we will take you home.”
She made an alarmed sound and pressed back into her seat. “I have to let you claim me right now or you’re sending me home?”
“That’s not what he said,” Nayez tried to soothe her. “All you have to decide is whether or not you want the courtship to continue.”
Brydon shook his head. “Her choice is more specific than that. The courtship will continue only if you are seriously considering us as your mates. The final decision can wait, but your intentions must be determined before we move forward.”
“My intentions?” she scoffed, suddenly wide awake and feisty. “What about your intentions? Why the hell would I want to spend the rest of my life with you? You’re cold and uncaring. You won’t let me share any part of your life. The only time you acknowledge my existence is when you want to fuck me. What kind of relationship is that?”
He crossed his arms over his chest, eyes narrowed. His sector leader mask was solidly in place so his words surprised Nayez. “There is validity in what you just said. I have not been accessible to you. Expressing my feelings is hard for me, but I am willing and I intend to change.” He cleared his throat and moved closer. “I love you, Emily. I have since I first saw you. Jesorax gave me first pick of the females on his list. There are one hundred names, but you were the only one with whom I felt connected. I am asking for the opportunity to earn your trust and become a worthy mate.”
Her jaw dropped and Nayez held his breath. If she rejected Brydon after that, this cadre was doomed.
She slowly pushed to her feet and closed the distance between them. Placing her hands on his chest, she reached up and tilted his head down so she could see his face. “I hate that there has been so much pain in your life, but I’d like to be part of a happier future. I didn’t want to care for you. Your indifference toward me really hurt.”
“I was never indifferent to you. I pushed you away because you made me feel vulnerable. The last thing I wanted this badly was to be rescued back on Kobar. As you’re aware, that ended in death and horror.”
Nayez was shocked by the comments. He hadn’t realized Brydon trusted her with the story. “When did you tell her about your captivity?”
“I agreed with the advice you gave Lahval, so I told him he had my permission to share my past with her as well as anything else she needed to know.”
Her first reaction to the news was a warm smile, but gradually her enthusiasm ebbed and anger ignited in her eyes. She lowered her arms and stepped out of reach. “My conversation with Lahval took place before I left the shuttle. That means you knew about my ‘escape’ before it happened.”
Lahval stood and joined them between the bench seats. “You knew it was a setup. So why did you play along?”
She pivoted toward Lahval and Nayez could no longer see her face. “What choice did I have?” she cried. “You told me you wouldn’t upload the files, but Brydon was not going to back down. I would have been locked in the guest suite until—”
“Until we figured out a way to learn what we needed to know without harming you further,” Brydon finished for her. “Your loyalty to your sister was in direct conflict with my loyalty to the supreme commander and my determination to end this deadly rebellion. None of us wanted to hurt you or be separated from you, so we—”
“You tricked me,” she snapped. “You lied to me and deceived me.”
Lahval shook his head. “I intentionally led you to the wrong conclusion, but nothing I said was a lie. It is a technique you have used frequently in the past twelve days.”
“You said that you deactivated my tracker,” she challenged. “I find that extremely unlikely.”
Though Lahval’s expression remained mild, his tone began to harden. Kobar warriors tended to react to being challenged in decidedly physical ways. “I did deactivate your implant. I just reactivated it on the shuttle. What I told you in the bedroom was true.”
“Call it what you like. You intentionally tricked me.”
Waving away her comments, Lahval continued, “Despite my best efforts, you were never deceived. Your arrival kept Vixen at the Scott house several minutes longer than she had meant to stay. If it were not for our trick, she would have been gone when Marissa arrived and we would not have learned her identity. We now know the names of several rebel leaders and you were not forced to betray the people you care about. I believe humans call that a win/win situation.”
Emily’s expression grew even more guarded as she fell silent. Something was clearly bothering her, but Nayez wasn’t sure what. The standoff was resolved. They could move forward, so why was she still upset?
“We know about Charlotte,” Lahval told her. “You don’t need to protect her anymore.”
“My need to protect her has never been more urgent,” Emily argued. “She’s just a child. She’s helping the resistance because it feels rebellious. Human teenagers are drawn to anything that defies authority. Please don’t let SC Byrne arrest her. She doesn’t understand the seriousness of what she’s doing.”
“Fourteen is not that young.” Brydon interjected. “However, the top four members of my security team are on their way to the White House. They will collect your sister and take her to a secure location. I want her to spend the night alone so that when she is brought to our house in the morning she will understand the seriousness of the situation.”
“And what happens in the morning?” Emily asked.
“You and Nayez will have an hour, perhaps two, to convince her to cooperate. If she provides a complete list of rebel leaders as well as the locations of their encampments, I just might be able to convince Jesorax to release her into the custody of your mother. If Charlotte chooses to be as stubborn as you were, things could become uncomfortable for everyone.”
“What does that mean? She’s fourteen years old. Are teens subject to the same consequences as adults under Kobar laws?”
“Of course not.” Brydon was starting to sound impatient. That was Emily’s signal to back off, but Nayez wasn’t sure she knew Brydon well enough to respond appropriately. “Age is a consideration, but so is the severity of her actions. She facilitated communications and logistics for many attacks that resulted in loss of life on both sides. That fact cannot be ignored.”
Emily paused for a deep breath, clearly struggling for composure. “I would like to see the messages. Charlotte is analytical. She responds better to data than emotion.”
Nayez glanced at Lahval and smiled. “We know someone else like that.”
Brydon looked at Lahval too. “How long will it take you to work up graphs or charts, something summarizing the information we received from Jesorax?”
“Not long,” he assured. “I can get started now if you keep an eye on the shuttle.”
Before Brydon could answer, Emily asked, “Does the supreme commander know we have Charlotte? Are you sure there’s no possibility he could take her from your guards?”
“Jesorax gave me forty-eight hours to secure your sister’s full cooperation,” Brydon told her. “If we all work together, I have no doubt we can achieve that and more.”
A tentative smile was Emily’s only response.
“We need to decide on a destination.” Brydon shifted back into sector leader mode, grasping his hands behind his back. “Which is it to be? Will you allow us to court you or would you rather go home?”
She licked her lips and looked at each male in turn. “The only reason I left was to protect Charlotte and Tori. I understand why the resistance must end, but I couldn’t betray a lifelong friend or my sister. I want to stay with you.”
