Cold Mark (35 page)

I placed my butt on my couch, directly between Phila and Killeg. My stomach was full of scrumptious fair, Sweet Pea was making a mess of a toy at our feet ... and there was a quiet inside my apartment that had the Plumas and Stiller glancing at each other periodically. Every once and awhile, I would see them shake their heads in a negative. I continued watching the flicker show and tried to ignore it. Phila and Killeg would be running off soon to attend to political business, so I wanted to relax with them as much as I could before the sun started to rise and slumber called my name. Problems were not needed right now.

"Maybe we could go out tomorrow?" I stated, keeping it casual.

"Where would you like to go," Phila asked, placing his left arm over the back of the couch, brushing my shoulders. "We could go dancing?"

"Nah." I took a sip from my warm mug of honeyed tea—the Mian version of it. "I thought we could take some defensive courses. If I'm going to live here forever, I might as well keep my fighting skills honed."

Killeg rested his right hand on my left knee—the one sporting three rings for his Harem. It was now becoming a 'thing' between the three of us. They weren't going to remove their rings until I told them they were the men I wanted to be with. "Does this have to do with the trip we just took?"

I shrugged a shoulder and little by little, threaded my fingers through his. His hand was warm and calloused ... and nice. "You guys are much more skilled than I am. Fighting the Lavano just reiterated that I'm not on Joyal any longer. I think it would be wise to keep in shape." There was too much weird shit on this planet. "There was an insect in my kitchen earlier tonight that I had to hit sixteen times before it died." I was so out of my element.

Killeg's attention snapped to my kitchen, glaring at it. "We'll get an exterminator in here."

Phila hummed quietly and then peered at Stiller. "What's the name of that one place where Yorlaz teaches? It's here in Center."

"I think it's The Slayer." He kept his eyes on the show but pointed to the west. "It's two blocks over. He runs classes every night, different courses and stuff."

"Would that be good?" Phila's dark eyes captured mine, pulling me into their mysterious depths.

I nodded like an idiot, trapped but managed to mutter, "Can you and Phila take the classes with me? It might be nice for us to do together."

"We'll figure out the times and work it around our schedule."

"Thank you," I stated ... and overlooked how low my tone had dropped. "It'll be fun."

His lips curved into a slow grin. "Finally. We've found pleasure we'll both enjoy."

I peered straight forward.

That comment was too loaded to even bother with.

"Mother Joyal, I am having so much fun!" I exclaimed, jumping in place and pounding my gloves together. "What do the Mian call this again?"

"Boxing," Killeg grumbled, damn near growling. "It's contact, but with no killing."

"I like it!" I punched his left shoulder and bounced back and forth on my feet. "It's your turn. They're signaling you."

He jumped up onto the edge of the ring and slid between two of the barbwire ropes with ease.

I bumped my hip against Phila's. "Think he'll win?"

Phila snorted, watching his other half. "If he doesn't get disqualified."

"How would he do that?"

"By knocking his opponents head off."

I stopped bouncing. "He wouldn't do that."

"Not on purpose, but that guy," a point of his gloved right hand, "is who he's up against."

"Oh." I stared at the green-haired Mian. "He's small."

"
Very
small."

Only ten seconds later, I was face-to-face with an unconscious and bleeding Mian lying in the ring, his right arm hanging over the side. I poked him gently and saw his ribcage expand. I peered up to Phila. "At least, he didn't kill him."

Phila's chest shook with laughter, grinning so adorably I wanted to lean in closer. "He's still disqualified."

"Why?" I poked the Mian again. "He's breathing."

"But Killeg didn't wait until the bell rang."

Killeg jumped over the barbwire and landed in an easy crouch next to us. As he straightened, he was glaring so hard at the coach that I wondered if the guy was going to pee in his pants. "I saw his hand going for the damned thing. I just reacted."

I patted his shoulder. "It was a good try." I even said it with a straight face.

"Shut up, and get up there. It's your turn for fun."

Unlike all the other Mian inside the training gym, I needed Phila to give me a boost up to the ring. "That's embarrassing," I grumbled under my breath as I grabbed onto the barbwire rope between spikes, keeping myself balanced on the edge.

Phila jumped and smacked my ass lightly. "I enjoyed it."

I huffed but felt my cheeks heat. "Quit. I need to focus."

His grin was slow. "I'm not stopping you."

Yes, he was—in ways he was enjoying all too much.

I bared my teeth at him, and then cautiously dipped between the ropes.

"Be careful of those while you're in there." Killeg was eyeing the mini-spears as the staff yanked the 'sleeping' Mian out of the ring. "Maybe this isn't such a great idea."

"I'll be fine," I hissed.

"Just stay away from any kicks and the outer edges."

"Yes, yes." I placed the mouth guard into my mouth and kept moving, warming up my muscles further. Around the foaming piece, I mumbled, "This is my best idea yet."

"Fuck me. This is going to end badly," Killeg whispered to his other half.

"I heard that!"

I made sure to wait until the bell rang, and then I was a flurry of movement. The Mian man wanted to hurt me, it was there in his eyes. Female Mian didn't fight. And I was a Human. What—and who—I was, was against everything he held close to his traditional sexist heart, and change wasn't of particular interest to him.

And he was fast.

Not as fast as the Plumas, but I had to track his movements by the color of his rouge colored hair. A blur of red here, a dash of red there, and he kept me on my toes. When he wasn't knocking them out from under me. My back hit the ground for the third time, but I swiftly rolled when he followed me down with fists swinging.

I managed a hard jab to his temple and fully enjoyed watching him stagger to the side.

I took full advantage of it too, racing forward and slamming my gloves into all the legal 'down' zones I knew. "Fall, dammit." I shot my fist into his solar plexus and grinned when he kneeled over, trying to catch his breath. "Take that ... ." Another punch. "And that." A hard upper jab. "And that!"

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Damn ... I backed away. I almost had him down, too.

The coach still motioned to me as the winner.

I threw my fists up and pumped them in the air, turning to give the Plumas a huge grin.

But instead of cheering me on, their eyes simmered with desire. Mother Joyal, me kicking the shit out of a man turned them on. And it dawned on me. Those two were dangerous savages in a sensual way.

I kind of liked it, my gut warming with a cloying heat.

I carefully maneuvered through the barbwire and removed the mouth guard. "I know I just showed you how awe-inspiring I am ... but I need help getting down from here." Oh, the ironies.

We stepped inside a sweets store, still sweating and stinky from the gym. Little Mian children rushed around our legs, and I felt like one of them as I gazed at all of the choices. I opened my arms wide and whispered, "I'm home, my lovelies."

Killeg couldn't contain his laughter, slapping his palm on a countertop. "Do you want us to leave you alone with all the goodies?"

"Yes, please do," I mumbled absently, trekking farther into the store. I pointed a finger at a clear tube that had pink cubes inside ... all the way to the ceiling. "Are those good?"

"They're one of my favorites," Phila murmured, bending to lift a paper sack. He proceeded to fill it up with the pink treats. When I reached for the bag, he tucked it behind his back and shook his head. He even waggled a finger, teasing me. "These are mine. Get your own."

My brows rose. He was serious beneath all that flirting. "Will do." Don't mess with the Pluma's sweet tooth. He usually gave in when I asked for something. I jested as well as I had received. "Maybe I should leave
you
alone with all the goodies?"

"Never do that," Killeg whispered against my ear ... and kissed it gently. "Sugar gives him gas."

My jaw dropped, and I tried so hard not to laugh.

Phila glared. "Tell her the truth."

"Fine," Killeg said in all seriousness. "Sugar doesn't, but any bloody meat does."

Phila crossed his arms, with narrowed eyes on his other half.

He sighed. "All right. All right. It's too many nuts that make him ill to the stomach."

Phila dipped his head and proceeded on to another aisle. "Thank you."

My chin trembled, as hilarity wracked my small frame. "So, stay away when he eats nuts?"

"Stay far,
far
away unless you want to pass out."

"Thank you for explaining." I pointed down the aisle Phila had disappeared in. "Shall we?"

He bent low at the waist. "After you."

I strolled forward but whispered over my shoulder, "I try to stay away from too much cloned-milk." His steps faltered, and his lips trembled. I shrugged. "Just a warning."

"I'm truly starting to adore you."

The feeling was mutual. But I wouldn't say it yet.

Panting, I took in massive gulps of air. Sweat dripped down my temples as my vision swam into focus. My bedroom. I was in my room. In my bed. Not stretched out on a table. No electrical lashes were jolting my body, no water drowning me. My apartment. My safe place.

I was fine. I was okay.

Sweet Pea whined, resting his head on my lap.

Absently, I petted his head. "It's all right, boy."

He
woofed
and curled closer to me.

Even he could sense I was lying. I really needed to work on that.

Lying back down, I pulled the covers up to my chin and draped my arm around his flank.

I tossed. I turned.

My eyes stayed wide open.

The sound of light snoring touched my senses from the guest bedroom. I was failing miserably this day. Most days I slept just fine. But there were others that had ice prickling down my spine in fear, horrific memories flooding and never-ending. I really wished I had a sleeping pill this day, my worst yet.