What To Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection Part Two (83 page)

Gruff voices filtered into her dream and drove away the pleasant images of a Chicago summer. Still lost in her childhood, Lilly couldn’t orient herself. Couldn’t decipher the words spoken in harsh whispers. And definitely couldn’t figure out why she felt so comfortably content.

Images of the kidnapping flooded back first, the heat of the laser and her body bound and hooded. But the soft cushion below her and the heavy weight of the blanket covering her belied that memory.

“What the fuck’s that supposed to mean, Thaegan?”

“I was there too. Remember?”

In full clarity, it came back to her. Her body was pleasantly sore and she knew immediately where she was and what had transpired. Thaegan and Dallas weren’t cuddling with her anymore. Whatever it was that they were arguing about, they’d waited until she was sound asleep and not part of their discussion.

“Yeah, I remember the whole damn thing,” said Dallas. “Which is why Lilly’s not stepping one goddamn foot in that tavern tonight.”

“She’s not Sarah.”

Dallas was silent, but she heard the scrape of a chair against the floor and curiosity got the best of her. Daring to peek, she watched Dallas pacing, the curves and hollows of his bare torso highlighted in the low light from over the sink. It warmed her heart that the men had been considerate enough to turn the lights down and cover her, allowing her time to sleep, though the volume of their voices had made that nearly impossible.

Sitting on the far side of the table, Thaegan’s mahogany chest was burnished to a slick copper color. His hands fiddled nervously with the centerpiece Dallas had swept to the floor earlier in the evening.

“I know she’s not Sarah, for chrissake. Sarah was a trained QAL agent protected by her team and
she
couldn’t keep herself out of the line of fire.” Dallas stopped pacing and stared at his partner. “
I
couldn’t keep her safe.”

“And
I
didn’t protect either of you.” Thaegan snapped the dish in his hands in half, anger drawing tight lines across his forehead. “Damn it, Dallas. I lost a teammate and a lover as well. You seem to forget that part of the equation.”

Dallas leaned on the table, his head dropping to his chest. “Being with Lilly…”

“Brought it all back.”

“Yeah.” Dallas hesitated. “No. I mean it is different.”

“Because Lilly’s human?”

He lifted his head. “There’s that. But it’s more. Sarah never intended to let us in. In the months we worked together and even after we shared a bed with her, she never let down her guard. Never wanted to be vulnerable.”

“Znedus tend to do that.” Thaegan shrugged. “They hold themselves separate. I never expected anything more.”

“Yeah, well humans aren’t hard-wired that way. At first it was great. But I’m getting tired of the love ’em and leave ’em attitude of deep space. I had myself believing Sarah wanted more. I guess we’ll never find out.”

“I repeat. Lilly. Is. Not. Sarah.”

Dallas laughed, a bitter sound that tore at Lilly’s heart. “No, she’s a bounty hunter looking for revenge against the very organization we work for.”

“Whether you like it or not, she’s the only one who can identify Grebetz’s boss. I understand your reticence, but there’s no way she can draw the tattoo well enough for us to identify him.”

Lilly hadn’t shared with them that her photographic memory would have allowed her to do just that, but she’d thought the two of them were being hardheaded and unreasonable. Now she understood Dallas couldn’t bring himself to lose someone else under his command or perhaps—someone he’d come to care about.

“I’m resigned to the fact she’ll be there,” said Dallas. “But I won’t survive if she gets hurt.”

“Bastower’s not a prick. He doesn’t blame you for—”

“I’m not talking about my career, Thaegan. I’m talking about my God damn heart.”

“She’s not going to get hurt. I’m sure she can handle it. Hell, if we hadn’t double teamed her tonight, I have no doubt she’d have Grebetz in custody. That talent of hers definitely can take a man down.”

“Tell me what you feel,” Dallas asked quietly.

“You really aren’t affected by it, are you?”

“The woman turns me on like no female in a very long time. But it’s not the sexual madness that seemed to overtake you.”

“It’s that chemical shit flowing through your veins, isn’t it?”

Lilly had a hard time staying still. She had wondered about the knife wound and again the way Dallas had healed after Thaegan’s beating. The man had brushed it off and then circumstances had tumbled on top of each other and she’d never gotten around to asking him again.

“The docs on Canus Delta told me the synthetic blood would keep me from ever getting drunk or sick and that cuts and bruises were a thing of the past. But no one mentioned that a Seraphelium’s touch would have no impact on me.”

Thaegan laughed as Lilly’s heart tripped over itself.

“When she’s not using it as a weapon, it’s quite a pleasant buzz. Guess you’re just going to have to live with your own libido guiding you on that one,” said Thaegan.

“With that woman, it’s certainly not hard.”

“No, that woman makes it
very
hard.”

Both men laughed again and Lilly felt as if her prayers had been answered. What she’d felt from Dallas had been real desire, not a figment of her imagination or spurred on by her gift. She couldn’t hold back the smile that brightened her face.

From her vantage point on the mattress, Lilly could see out the side window. The first and second moons had already set and the third sat low on the horizon. Though day would never break here on Garalon Five, she knew there were only a few hours left before the official morning started. She stretched and yawned loudly. There was a lot of work ahead of them.

“B
astower say you and Thaegan bring woman in.”

Dallas’ cochlear implant translated the Xerick’s clicks and pops. In the comfort of the backroom at headquarters, his team spoke their native tongues. They were trying to relax before all hell broke loose at the tavern in a couple of hours.

“Yeah, well, the way the bimbo handled herself in the tavern we thought she might know something about Grebetz,” Thaegan said.

He and Thaegan had arrived nearly forty minutes ago. They’d taken time to change their clothes but hadn’t wasted time with showers. He could still smell Lilly on his skin.

“Gone you two a long while.” One head of the Xerick puffed on a cigar while the other ate and shot the shit.

“Turned out she didn’t know anything.” Thaegan casually leaned forward and grabbed another of the stuffed purple flowers from the overflowing platter of food products in the center of the table. “Bringing her in wouldn’t have done any good.”

As hungry as he was, Dallas knew the spicy meat and vegetable concoction in his hands wouldn’t satisfy. It would only add weight to the tight knot of nerves sitting cold in his gut. He didn’t like the idea of Lilly being at the tavern and in the line of fire, but it appeared if he wanted to bring down
Hij’Rozhod
, he didn’t have a choice. “Turned out she was nothing but a common streetwalker. There wasn’t much she could do for us.”

The Drikspa next to him made a crude sexual motion with his hands. “Thaegan say you two enjoyed a little…”

Dallas tried to tune him out. They’d been playing it loose and casual where Lilly was concerned. She and Thaegan had convinced him seeing her safely back to her hotel could be dangerous. Lilly wouldn’t even agree to spend the day in his residence. She couldn’t very well show up at the tavern tonight wearing the t-shirt and gym shorts he’d given her. He’d had to be content dropping her back in the center of the city, several blocks from her hotel. Dallas didn’t like leaving her alone and vulnerable, but he’d had no choice. Just like this fucking locker room conversation—it was all part of the charade. “Yeah, well, it never hurts to blow off a little steam, but she didn’t have any other information we needed—”

The Xerick punched Thaegan. “Boom boom for you.”

The Ka’al growled in response. Obviously, his partner wasn’t enjoying this farce any more than he was.

“Sawyer,” Bastower said as he stormed into the room. His boss was still in his Ka’al form—and didn’t this day just get crappier?

“Sir.” Dallas stood, ready to present the ten-page report he’d already filed about the takedown at the tavern and the fake details of Lilly’s interview.

“I need one of your men for a couple of hours.”

That was not where he expected Bastower to go. “Sir?”

“I’ve just been informed Ambassador Tervoss is making a refueling stop here on Garalon Five on his way to Reigis Alpha. He’s decided to meet some of his constituents at an impromptu news conference. In light of recent events his private security asked if QAL would add some manpower to his team. I’ve got three men, one more and we can do a complete surveillance of our own.”

Thaegan’s gaze met Dallas’ for one telling instant. This was too damn convenient. Only hours before they were supposed to take down
Hij’Rozhod
and it appeared someone was pulling his team apart. No way in hell
that
was a coincidence. If their mission had been leaked again, it was highly likely there would be bloodshed at the tavern. He’d think about protecting Lilly later. Right now he wanted every man he trusted at his fingertips.

“I’m not sure I can spare any men, sir.”

“What about Lelkin?” Bastower inquired. “Seems to me, from all the scenarios we’ve been through that his position isn’t as critical as the others.”

It was true, but Dallas hadn’t meant for the newest member of his team to know that detail. He and the Drikspa simply hadn’t developed the easy camaraderie he had with the rest of his team. Dallas wanted to think it had to do with the way the Drikspa kept to himself and not the fact that he’d been the one to fill the void left by Sarah’s death. Dallas shrugged.

“I’d hate to be without him,” Dallas lied. “But I guess if Tervoss’ security team needs you both, then Thaegan can cover Lelkin’s position if you don’t get back in time.”

The Drikspa stood, his hard red eyes glaring at Dallas. “No problem,
Sir
.” He spat the title at Dallas like a curse. “Glad to know I wasn’t an important part of taking down Grebetz tonight.”

Bastower slapped the Drikspa on the back. “Don’t look so disappointed, Lelkin. Tervoss’ speech is supposed to be short and sweet. We’ll be back before the fireworks at the tavern even begin.”

Lilly bounced down on the edge of the bed and flipped through the channels on the televid. Nothing held her interest. She’d been wandering around her tiny hotel room, feeling lost and alone and more than a little on edge. She checked the time again. The afternoon continued to tick by at a snail’s pace. There was still more than an hour before she needed to leave for the tavern.

The soft roll of excitement warmed her belly. She wasn’t kidding herself that it had anything to do with a bounty payment being within reach. Lilly credited it all to the fact she’d soon be seeing Dallas. She picked up his t-shirt from the bed. She’d reluctantly parted with it after her shower when she’d pulled on her leather pants and a silk blouse. A perfect outfit for taking down a criminal—or running for her life. Lifting the soft cotton to her face, Lilly inhaled deeply, the unmistakable masculine scent of Dallas wrapping around her nostrils and making her dizzy with want.

After she’d gotten up at the cabin, the three of them had sat around the table strategizing.

Somewhere between the cutting of her clothing and their lovemaking, they’d developed trust. But there had been something more. None of them had been anxious to leave the secluded confines of the cabin and their discussion of Treljon lasers and vantage points had deteriorated into another round of very hot, very sweaty sex. Her desire fueled by the knowledge her energy had no pull on Dallas and yet he
still
wanted her.
Craved
her was more like it. The two of them had managed another quick session in his residence while they were searching for clothes and Thaegan was contacting headquarters.