Dangerous Lovers (194 page)

January and Rykerian were amazed at the stunning display they had just witnessed. “That was extraordinary,” Rykerian exclaimed. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”

They oohed and aahed over it for a while until January started to question the prophecy. She wondered how they could be so sure Liasare was the Key. She didn’t want to let that go. It freaked her out to the point that she cried and Jurek had to calm her down by putting his hand on her head.

“Thanks for that. I’ve missed the hand on the forehead thingy,” she said.

Jurek smirked and said, “Well, ever since you stopped having thousands of children, I haven’t had to use it on you.”

January stuck her tongue out at him. “Thousands of children, my bohonkas!”

Liasare watched the interplay between them and it reminded her of two teenaged siblings. She chuckled to herself. “Gawd, you two are sort of annoying together. You really do act like brother and sister, you know.”

“Tell me about it. I’ve had to put up with it for years. So what can we do?” It was Rykerian who spoke.

Liasare brought up the Tommy issue and how they wanted to extract the nanochip.

“The Xanthians have to be linked to Abaddon. We think he’s the one directing them to create this army. He probably thinks he’ll send them after me or something like that. Or maybe use them to take me to him. Whatever the case, if we can analyze the data off that chip, maybe we can find out everything the Xanthians have so far. January, do you think it would be possible to suspend Tommy’s brain, remove the chip, get the data and get Tommy away from Earth before the Xanthians could discover his location?”

January and Rykerian shared a mental conversation before she spoke. “Yes, it’s possible but highly risky. We could teleport him to a Star Avenger with a team of robo-medics and they could do the chip removal. They are much faster and more precise than any Vesturion surgeon is. The data extraction from the chip would only take a few moments.”

Liasare looked at Jurek and then she asked, “What if we used our power on him to get the chip out? How risky would it be for Tommy?”

“Could you do that? Use your power I mean?”

“Yeah, but how risky would it be?”

“Well, there’s always a risk, but you’d only need to remove the original chip. Even though it’s grown and taken over his brain, once the original chip is gone, the part that remains behind will be deactivated,” January explained.

“With the assistance of the robo-medics, I don’t see why we can’t remove it then. We are healers, January. We can mend nearly everything in most cases,” Jurek said. He looked pointedly at Liasare before continuing. “If they can make the incision, suspend his brain activity long enough for us to get the chip out, we can then repair any damage the damn thing has done, including removing the rest of the crap it created in there. We can have our team on the Star Avenger. Then he can be flashed to wherever we need to send him so he can recover. We can even send him to Lare-Stell. Without the chip, they won’t be able to track him. Once we have the data removed from it, we can launch it into space somewhere and send those motherfuckers on a wild goose chase.”

They all had huge grins on their faces as they began to make their plans. It was decided they would position a Star Avenger a reasonable distance from Earth and have it standing by, so if they found Tommy, they could flash him there to begin the process. January would be prepared to go at a moment’s notice as well.

As January and Rykerian were preparing to leave, Liasare warned them of Abaddon again. “Don’t leave any of your children unprotected. He’ll try to lure them away. Make sure an adult is present with them. Don’t let them sleep alone. Keep someone in there to watch over them while they sleep. Get a Guardian to do it. I’m serious. He’s true evil. I’ve been to hell and back and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Finding Tommy was another matter. It took days of combing through the streets of Center City, hunting the clubs at night and visiting all the Xanthian hangouts. Liasare’s frustrations began to emerge in the form of things unexpectedly flying across their room, forcing both of them to duck and dodge at random times. Jurek thought it was quite humorous, telling Liasare it was a true test of her reflexes, but she would just grunt in her response.

Jurek and Liasare decided to pay a visit to Jaylen’s to see if they could enlist her to help. After two minutes in their company Jaylen did two things. She agreed to do everything she could to find Tommy. And then she hugged both Jurek and Liasare and beamed at them. They looked at her, Jurek with his head at that odd angle and Liasare with squinted eyes.

“Well, gah, just look at the two of you. You can hardly keep your hands off each other. I don’t know what happened between now and the last time I saw the two of you together, but whatever it was, it must have been really something. Of all the men I’ve ever known, you’re the last one, Jurek, that I ever expected to give your heart away with such complete abandon. And before you try to deny it, it’s written all over your face. I must say I’m quite shocked, but in a very good way,” she finished, still grinning.

Jurek actually blushed and found he was incapable of speech. Not knowing what else to do, he awkwardly thanked her, lightly kissed Liasare and told her he’d see her back at their headquarters.

Jaylen watched him leave and finally commented, “Well I’ll be. That night I saw you I was sure you’d be in here a week later, crying your eyes out over a broken heart. I was so wrong. He’s way over the top for you. I’ve never seen a man so in love before. His eyes bleed for you Liasare. Every word that comes from your lips, every move you make, he watches you like an avenger, waiting to strike the first thing that so much as threatens you. I’m amazed. You’re a part of him you know.”

“I know. I tried to tell you that. We are...I can’t explain it. But it’s beyond anything I thought existed.”

“There’s something different about you two than any others I’ve seen together. I can’t explain it or put my finger on it. Mind you, I’m not asking you for any explanations. I’m simply telling you that you two ooze sensuality toward each other. It’s like there’s this magnetism between the two of you. I’ll be damned! I’m super envious, you know.”

Liasare smiled, thinking about what she shared with Jurek. She knew what they had would be difficult to replicate, so she decided to keep quiet.

The two women hugged and Liasare decided she’d better head on home. After getting Jaylen’s promise to let her know anything at all about Tommy, she exited the building.

She knew he was waiting for her. Her body could sense him, now more so than ever. They smiled when they saw each other and they walked together holding hands.

“Sorry she embarrassed you.”

“I’m just not used to that kind of attention,” he said gruffly.

“You’re very sexy when you blush.”

He grunted. “I’d rather show you sexy in a different way.”

“Oh, you have and many times. Trust me.”

Without warning, he yanked her down a side street and crushed his mouth against hers. The kiss was all about the alpha dominance thing, but she held nothing back in her response. She moaned into his mouth, as their tongues waltzed together, teasing, then boldly facing off with each other. Slipping his hands beneath her shirt, she moaned as their energy began to unfold between them.

Pulling his mouth from hers, he whispered against her, “We’d best stop now before we begin to put on a show.”

She gave him a shaky laugh, and rubbed her cheek against his chest, humming. “One more please.” She fisted her hands in his shirt, pulling him toward her, hearing the tearing sound as the fabric gave way under her fingers.

He lifted her against him and slid his knee between her legs, “So you want it a bit rough then?” he asked, right before his teeth found that place where her neck and shoulder came together. He scraped them along until he found that exact spot that drove her crazy. She wrapped her hands in his hair and released a husky moan, but they were suddenly interrupted by the shuffling of feet and the sound of laughter.

“Isn’t this a cozy sight?”

They turned to find themselves surrounded by a team of five Xanthians.

“Jealous?” Liasare snarled.

The one who spoke had been smirking, but her question wiped it right off his face and it was replaced with a scowl.

“What do you want you ugly bastard?” Jurek squeezed her waist when she spoke. She’d never learn to keep her mouth shut.

“You.” As he spoke, he pulled his annihilator out of his coat.

Stay perfectly still love and I’ll handle this. I don’t trust your abilities to shift yet so please don’t move.
He squeezed her waist again for extra emphasis.

Don’t take that one down. Maybe he knows something.

Jurek blinked, indicating he understood. He turned into a streak of energy leaving four dead Xanthians in his wake. The fifth Xanthian found himself disarmed and lying on the ground, with Liasare crushing his hand.

“Who wants me and why?” she asked.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he said, slobber spraying through his gritted teeth.

Liasare was still repulsed by their smell and felt herself beginning to heave. Jurek shoved her out of the way and touched the vile creature, making him scream in agony.

“Answer her or I will take what we desire from you,” he seethed with unbridled rage.

The Xanthian still refused to talk, so Jurek put his hands on the fool’s head, extracting the information he deemed necessary, right before he killed him. Turning to Liasare, he commanded her to get them out of there.

When they arrived at headquarters, instead of materializing in a closet, they ended up in their bed. He lifted his brow as if to say, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“It’s better than the closet and,” she put her arms around him and grabbed and squeezed his perfectly formed glutes, “I’m kind of wanting to finish what we started back there, before we were so rudely interrupted by that bunch of nastiness.”

“Oh, is that a fact? What exactly did you have in mind?” he asked as his lids half closed and his eyes began to smolder.

“I’d like for you to fuck me Alaric,” she purred.

The room suddenly dropped in temperature and the rage began to build in him. He was off the bed, with her in his grasp, and had her slammed up against the wall as she stared at him in confusion.

“When have I ever
fucked
you Liasare?” he snarled. “I have worshipped your body with mine, loved you with my heart and soul, bound you with my energy, but
never
have I ever
fucked
you. Animals fuck Liasare. We don’t. Don’t you ever call the beautiful thing that happens between us, that horrible name again. Have I made myself clear?”

She was stricken with horror by what she had said. “Oh God, Jurek, I didn’t mean anything by that. I just...”

“Stop Liasare. I don’t want excuses. That word will never be used to describe what happens between us because I can assure you, what we do is
not
fucking.”

He released her then and stepped away from her. “Oh God, don’t walk away from me. Please,” she begged as she grabbed him by his shirt. Her eyes burned with unshed tears.

“I am so furious right now. Your words have pierced my heart.” She had seen him angry before, but this time, it was different. He wasn’t just angry; she had
injured
him with her words
.

“It was not intentional and I won’t ever make that mistake again. I never meant to hurt you Alaric. You must know that everything that has taken place between us has meant more to me than I can ever put into words. I know you’ve worshipped my body. I’ve
felt
you...I’ve
received
you. And I, too, have loved you with all my heart and soul and bound you with my energy. You must know I would never injure you intentionally.” She placed her hand over his heart and waited for what seemed like eternity. He finally put his hand over hers and touched his forehead to hers.

“I can’t bear the thought of you in that way Liasare. You are mine and you are so unworthy of that word.” His voice was ragged with anguish.

“I won’t ever say it again in reference to us and what we have between us. I swear this to you Alaric.” She raised his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “Kiss me Alaric and make me yours.”

He lifted her in his arms and tossed her on the bed. “You’ll always be mine, whether we’re doing this, or anything else. Don’t ever forget that Liasare.” His mouth met hers and all other thoughts flew out of her head as he took possession of her body, soul and spirit and their powers merged together bringing them both unforgettable pleasure.

Afterward, they lay in each other’s arms, sketching each other’s markings with their fingers when he said, “The Xanthian had some information to share.

That perked her up. “And?”

“There’s an all out call to search for you. You are the number one priority for them right now. My guess is Abaddon is pissed off because he can’t find you. I think your theory is right about him and his connection to the Xanthians.”