Deadly Lover (10 page)

“Yes. Mary.”

“I don’t know where Oz is, but I think he’ll be in The Zone. If he found her, found her dead, he’d have gone to—”

Ajak’s nostrils flared then he looked to the door.

Lily followed his line of sight to see Jolaj filling up the entryway. His gaze swept over her, and touched on Ajak before moving to Sean.

Why was he there? He’d said he couldn’t be involved officially, so it made no sense. There was no Ormney dead to deal with here.

Returning her attention to Ajak, Lily prodded him to continue. “He would have gone to...”

The muscles bracketing the boy’s mouth tightened and twitched. “I have to finish this now, Agent Rowan. If you truly want to help Oz, the Law Keeper will help you.”

“Ajak, this is important. I need to know where Oz—”

“Where would you go?” he interrupted. “Who would you go to, if you found someone dead?”

“I’d call Metro, to—”

“Metro. Your Law Keepers, yes?” His eyes shifted to Jolaj and Sean. They were walking over, weaving around the fresh vegetable bins. “Who better to call when there’s trouble?”

Jolaj wasn’t surprised to see Lily with Detective O’Leary. He’d asked her to become involved in this dangerous situation and she’d agreed. Committed to a course of action. Not all Earthers understood duty, but he suspected this one had it knitted in her bones.

 He was more surprised that she’d managed to get Ajax talking. The boy’s slumped shoulders and tight lips broadcast guilt or maybe worry that he’d said too much. Hoping Lily would understand he too had a duty to perform, he met her gaze as he stopped far enough away to give her plenty of space. An illusion, the small gold and green display of boost-drinks between them wouldn’t stand in his way if he wanted to get to her. But he didn’t want to see that fear in her eyes again and he knew she wouldn’t want to be forced to fight her panic in front of her cousin. “I must insist you do not question any of my people without a Law Keeper present.”

Her head tilted as she measured his words. “We were only talking.”

Jolaj would have preferred if he could talk to her without so many ears around. He didn’t know how to make her understand the situation without saying more than he wanted Detective O’Leary to hear. “If you violate our agreement, the Ormney will no longer cooperate in Metro investigations.”

Lily’s eyebrows shot up. “I wasn’t aware talking was forbidden in the treaty.” Her remark seemed aimed at the detective so Jolaj let his gaze linger on her as they spoke. She looked stronger than she had the day before. She’d worn her golden hair down, twisted in one loose curling bunch down her back. Her ivory skin glowed with a healthy pink tint and the purple tinge beneath her eyes had lightened, leaving only a slight shadow to draw attention to het wide green eyes.

The detective’s voice cut smoothly into his scrutiny. “Not the Ormney Accommodation Treaty, Lily. Law Keeper Jolaj is referring to an agreement Metro negotiated with the Ormney about ten years ago.”

“O-kay.” She drew the word out, letting it vibrate in her mouth. She clearly hadn’t been aware of this. “Well, Sean,” she said, looking directly at Jolaj. “Please explain to the Law Keeper that I’m not Metro. I’ll question whoever I think will help me get to the bottom of this.” The light in her eyes told Jolaj she was angry, but not overly so. She seemed to enjoy the confrontation.

Standing nearby, Ajax started glancing toward the bright red stockroom door as if calculating the distance and the likelihood that he could get away with leaving the conversation.

A muscle in Sean’s jaw ticked. Lily’s attempt to gain the detective’s support in such a manner seemed destined to fail. This was akin to the insincere banter he’d seen other humans engage in to take each other’s measure. But Lily and the detective were cousins, family. There should be no need for such things between them.

“Even Deepwater is bound by the treaty,” said Detective O’Leary. He breathed in deeply, expanding his chest as if trying to assert dominance. “But there is no reason we can’t all cooperate to get through this. We all want the same thing here.”

Lily’s eyebrows drew together over those intelligent green eyes. “So, you called him in to...”

The man blew a noisy puff of air. “It’s standard procedure to call in a Law Keeper when we need to question Ormney witnesses.”

Ajak edged around a stack of boxes and closer to the door at the mention of questioning.

Jolaj decided it was time to end their bickering, before the boy resorted to a
slip
to get clear of the two Earthers. They all tried to avoid slipping outside The Zone. It made the Earthers uncomfortable. “Since you’ve already questioned Ajak, I would like a moment to speak with him as well.”

“Ajak isn’t under any suspicion here,” said Lily. “He hasn’t given me any reason to think he knows anything about Mary’s death.”

Jolaj felt certain that was not entirely true. Strange that she’d protect the boy. She was all contradictions, this small, troublesome woman. An unexpected need to pull her close and breathe in her scent unsettled him. No woman had troubled him so much in a long while.

Ajak shifted, from one foot to the other. “I’d like to go back to work. I have morning deliveries to prep.”

“First,” said O’Leary, “I have some questions. Last I checked I’m still the cop here.”

“Fine with me,” said Lily, holding up her hands in a gesture of submission that didn’t match the mischief in her eyes.

Jolaj stood patiently by the drink display and listened as Ajak answered the detective’s questions with discretion. He didn’t reveal the true nature of the relationship between Oz and the human girl despite O’Leary’s expert interrogation.

When all the questions had been asked, Ajak turned to Jolaj. “Sir, Agent Rowan believes Oz could be in danger.”

Jolaj weighed his words carefully. “I will do my best to ensure his safety.”

Ajak nodded his acceptance then looked to Lily. “And will the friend of my descendants be a friend to us all?”

She stepped closer to him. “I will always be a friend to those who would honor all that I honor.”

Jolaj was shocked to hear her use the translation of the formal pledge of his people.

She stretched out her right hand. It was steady, but Jolaj wasn’t fooled. She was wound tight in expectation of touching the boy. “I hope to always call you friend.”

Ajak returned the greeting, loosely gripping her hand. Jolaj wanted to move closer, to be there to hold her if her fear overtook her. IT was a foolish notion. He was only likely to frighten her more, so he stood still and silent as the boy’s retracted claws pressed lightly against her skin.

She kept a smile on her face, but she shivered at the touch. The sight heated his blood with a territorial hunger he had no right to indulge. Despite his best efforts he couldn’t stop himself from going to her. Stepping clear of the gold and green display, he wrapped his hand around her arm, needing to urge her away from the younger male.

Her breathing changed, stalling in her chest as her cheeks washed palest white. Jolaj released her instantly and took a step back. For a single moment, he had forgotten her needs and remembered only his own.

Some humans feared the Ormney instinctively as any predator fears another larger, stronger predator. As any person feared the unknown. But he knew her fright was all the more powerful for the real knowledge she kept of his people. He had seen the silver/white scars covering her belly and splashed across her breasts and arms. She knew too well of their primitive natures. Their bodies and instincts had been meant for a more primitive environment, just as his heated reaction to the sight of an unmated female touching an unmated male belonged to a less civil society.

Damn the inappropriate genetics. May their descendants avoid such unseemly struggles.

“Lily?” Detective O’Leary stepped squarely between them. “You okay?”

“Yes.” Her voice shook with the single syllable.

Sean cleared his throat. “Ah, I’m going to head back over to the crime scene. You want to walk over with me?”

“No,” said Lily. “I’m going to visit the shop lav then I’ll catch up.”

“I can wait.” A threat meant only for him, lay beneath O’Leary’s clipped response.

“Go on. I’m fine.” Lily waved her reluctant cousin away.

The man didn’t budge. “Do what you need to do, I’m not going anywhere without you.”

Lily grabbed O’Leary’s arm and led him toward the door. “I’m fine and so is the Law Keeper. I’ll explain later.”

They argued a minute more, the detective glancing his way at every break in the conversation. Jolaj hid his hands behind his back and did his best to look unthreatening. He was tempted to grab a few of the drinks and juggle them like a street performer. He hadn’t heard her desire for him to leave in any of her words. When Sean did leave, Lily waited for the store staff to wander back to their tasks and Jolaj encouraged Ajak to make his deliveries. They would talk later.

Lily caught Jolaj off guard when she appeared in front of him and reached up to grab a fistful of his tunic. She yanked hard, pulling his face down close to hers.

“Now, you want to tell me where in hell Oz is?” Anger flashed in her eyes even as her words shuddered under breathless fear.

“I don’t—”

“Wrong answer,” she snapped. “Let me make this easier for you. You do want to tell me where Oz is and you do want Sean to interview him. If he had nothing to do with Mary’s murder there is no reason he shouldn’t cooperate.”

Jolaj wrapped his hand around her wrist where she still clutched his tunic. The softness of her skin beneath his touch threatened to distract him. “What did Ajax tell you to make you so angry.”

“He didn’t say anything, our conversation just made me realize that the boy would go to you. I’m not exactly sure how, but you are in the middle of this as much as I am. Why are you making things more difficult now?”

Her hand shook more the longer she spoke.

He breathed her into his lungs, but her fear had eased, not deepened. “We’ve learned we cannot count on fair treatment from Metro. Now let go, before your arm gives out.”

She released his tunic, allowing him to straighten, but Jolaj kept a light grip on her wrist. Her bones felt delicate, fragile, but he knew underestimating her would be a mistake. She had a strong survival instinct, something that only made her more desirable to a man who’d lost a mate as he had.

Ignoring his touch she met his gaze levelly. “Sean will be fair.”

She could ignore him all she wanted to, but he had to believe she wouldn’t have let him continue to hold her wrist if some part of her didn’t want his touch.

“Was your arm injured when you fought Lanyak?” The thought brought back the primitive need to assure himself she was all right, but he controlled it ruthlessly. He would
not
scare her again.

“Just wrenched it, but the muscles of that arm aren’t fully recovered from…” Her lush mouth opened and closed twice before she shrugged away the obvious fact that she was referring to the damage Kiq had done to her. Something she seemed unready to discuss with him.

Jolaj took them both back to the original conversation. “Sean’s authority is limited and your people tend to look for someone easy to blame.”

“He’s in The Zone, right?” Her question emerged breathless, but this was neither the fear she’d been unable to hide nor the desire he longed to hear in her voice. She waited for him to decide. To trust her judgment.

He weighed his need for her help. His confidence in her commitment to see justice done and nodded his answer to her question. “I will arrange an interview.”

Her breathing relaxed, deepened. “We’ll meet you at Metro headquarters.”

“No. I cannot risk Oz’s safety. I will escort you into The Zone. You may interview him there.”

He met her gaze as she contemplated his offer.

“All right.” She tugged her wrist from his grasp. “I’ll tell Sean.”

He watched her walk away, captivated by the fluid grace of her body. She enflamed his desire without purpose, without knowledge or intent. As long as she remained blind to his need for her, he’d be able to maintain his control. He could use her to aid his people and they could focus on the very real need to keep the others safe.

He would ignore the mating instincts waking inside him. He couldn’t afford to frighten her with his wild hunger. He needed her trust as much as she needed his.

Lily had thought the wall seemed enormous from her blocks-away rooftop. Standing in its shadow with Sean and Detective Newman, the wall seemed unreal—like something from a nightmare. It didn’t seem to intimidate the crowd of protesters gathered around the main gate. So far they’d been non-violent, but an entire squadron of Metro officers stood ready to intervene if things turned ugly.

Sean had been pissed when she told him she’d arranged for Jolaj to take them into The Zone to interview Oz. He’d issued Jolaj a warning about withholding information from Metro in a tirade peppered with more explicit language than she’d ever heard from her easygoing cousin. He hadn’t spoken to her since.

Lily pressed a hand to her lower back and stretched the still sore muscles from her encounter with the alley wall the day before. On the other side of the gate, flat-roofed buildings lined the streets. The grass covered, pedestrian-only lane that served as the main thoroughfare into The Zone lay empty. She didn’t know if the decision to clear the street had been made by the Council or if the residents had chosen on their own to stay out of sight of the crowds.

Jolaj, flanked by two other Law Keepers, appeared from a side lane. He was tall even next to his own kind. All three men moved quickly, but with athletic grace.

Lily elbowed Sean. “Here they come.”

Sean turned his attention from the protesters to the Law Keepers approaching the gate. “They didn’t bring the suspect with them.”

Lily stopped short of rolling her eyes. “I told you they wouldn’t bring him. They don’t consider him a suspect and even if they did, he’s under their jurisdiction. They’re not going to turn him over.”

“Exactly.” Detective Newman’s whole body moved with the single word, like a corner bully bouncing on the edge of a brawl. “Even if he confesses we won’t be able to arrest him.”