Phantom Warriors: Linx (10 page)

Linx pulled out his translation
device and looked up 'taped'. He read the definition twice, convinced that
there had to be some kind of mistake. But there was no mistake.

Anger boiled in his gut,
threatening to explode.

Did she really think so little of
him that she'd believe he'd do something so low? The answer Linx got didn't sit
well. Tabby had all but accused him of having no honor. He may not take life or
this quest very seriously, but he'd given her no reason to question his honor.
It was the one area of his life that Linx never joked about. That fact that
Tabby did...hurt.

Somehow he’d fix this mess. He had
to. His life and future were riding on his success.

* * * * *

Making Linx leave was the hardest
thing Tabby had ever done in her life. She'd thought it would be easy. Just
push him out the door and forget about him. Trouble was Linx wasn't the type of
man that a woman forgot about. He was the type of man that a woman remembered
fondly in her twilight years. The kind of man that could still bring a twinkle
to her eyes no matter how much time had past.

And she'd just kicked him to the
curb.

"You did it because he
betrayed you," she muttered. "He knew about the camera and never said
a word."

Except...Linx had looked genuinely
confused when she'd accused him. Almost like he didn't understand what she
meant, which was impossible. Only a simpleton wouldn't get it. She'd been direct—thanks
to a burst of courage prodded by a sharp stick of anger.

Of course now that he was gone,
Tabby was still in the same bind she'd been in when she arrived home.

She thought about calling the
police to report the abuse she'd noted. But Tabby knew that Taylor would never
press charges. And since she hadn't actually 'witnessed' Sergei hit her sister,
there wouldn't be much the police could do. Taylor could say she walked into a
door and that would be the end of it.

Tabby's thoughts turned to Linx
once more. How could she have been so wrong about him? She'd always prided
herself on being a good judge of character. Had lust destroyed her brain cells?
Probably, but last night hadn’t all been about lust. And that hurt most of all.

Tomorrow she would go into work and
give her notice. They would be shocked, but she had no choice. Better that than
have them learn the truth. She had a little savings.
Enough
to live on for a few months.
After that, maybe she'd change her name.
Dye her hair. She glanced down at her long burgundy hair and fresh tears began
to flow. The thought of having to change her hair was too much. She'd already
sacrificed enough. How much more did she have to lose?

* * * * *

Chapter
Seven

Linx
hailed a taxi and returned to the strip club. He may be angry at Tabby’s
refusal to believe him, but Linx was furious with Sergei. No way would he let
the man get away with threatening her.

He
paid the taxi and watched it drive away. He gazed up and down the street, but
no one was around. There were no cars parked outside the club yet, which was
perfect for what he had in mind. Linx walked up to the front door and turned
the knob. It opened. He found Boris inside, sitting on a barstool watching some
kind of sporting event.

The
beefy wall of a man stood and glared at him. "What do you think you're
doing here?"

"I
want to speak with Sergei." Linx watched as Boris raised his hand and gave
some kind of a signal. Alexei and Viktor slipped out of the shadows. He eyed
the men and grinned to himself. At least now it would be somewhat of a
challenge.

Boris
glanced over his shoulder. "We have a slow one.” He nodded in Linx’s
direction. “He thinks because of his porn debut last night that we’re going to
just let him walk in here and talk to the boss."

Viktor
laughed and muttered something about a big dick under his breath.

Alexei
moved in closer. "We owe you for that little stunt you pulled the other
night. Don’t know how you did it, but we had to replace our car."

Linx
arched a brow and leaned against the doorway. "And I owe you for taping me
and my lady friend in a rather delicate position."

Alexei
snorted. "You missed your calling, pretty boy. You could've made some
serious money with that dick of yours, but now it's too late because nobody's
going to hire you once we get done messing up your handsome face."

“I’ve
heard of this. Is this what they call ‘trash talk’ here on Earth?” Linx asked.

“
Duratski
!” Viktor
said.

“You’re
right, he is an idiot,” Alexei added.

Bolstered
by the other men's nearness, Boris made his move. The big man came in swinging,
but Linx was ready. He caught Boris’ massive fist in his hand and squeezed.
Bones crunched beneath his fingertips.

Boris
howled in pain.

"What..."
Viktor reached for his gun, but before he could pull it out of the harness
beneath his jacket, Linx was on him.

Alexei
rushed forward and barreled into Linx, sending him flying through the air. Linx
flipped end over end and landed lightly on his feet, then rushed them. The
beast rose inside of him and claws sprang from his fingertips. He felt his
teeth lengthening and his vision shift.

Alexei
helped Viktor up. Both men faced him.

"What
is he?" Viktor asked.

Boris
cradled his hand and stared in horror. "He's a
Tchort
. A demon. The devil
himself."

"Kill
it!" Alexei shouted.

The
men drew their guns and fired wildly. Linx leapt into the air and landed on
Viktor, who in turn fell into Alexei. Boris's gun wavered as he tried to get a
clear shot. Linx didn't give him the chance. He faded and appeared behind the
big man. He grabbed Boris around the neck and slammed his head into the bar. He
went down hard and didn’t get back up.

Linx
disappeared again, then reappeared long enough to rain blows upon Alexei and
Viktor. The men swung and missed, nearly hitting each other. Linx kicked Viktor
in the solar plexus, doubling him over and slammed his fist into Alexei’s
throat. The big man wheezed and dropped to his knees. Linx punched him in the
head. Alexei fell over. Viktor moaned and Linx backhanded him. By the time he
was finished, all three men were unconscious.

Sergei
came out of his office with a shotgun in his hand. "What did you do to my
men?” he asked, surveying the carnage. “Do you have a death wish?" He
cocked the gun.

"No,
but you must," Linx said. "Did you think I'd let you get away with
threatening Tabitha? A man who threatens defenseless women has no honor."

"You're
a dead man," Sergei said. “You just don’t know it yet.” He fired. The
concussion of sound from both barrels going off was deafening.

Linx
faded instantly. When he reappeared again, he had Sergei by the throat, his
claws sinking deep. "Do not make threats you cannot keep."

Sergei
choked and blood trickled down the front of his shirt.

Taylor
came running out of the back office. "What are you doing? Are you trying
to get us killed?"

"He
will not harm you or your sister. If he does, I will return and strip his flesh
from his bones." Linx glared at Sergei, making sure the beast glowed in
his eyes.

Taylor
scrambled back with an alarmed cry. "What are you?"

Linx
spared her a glance. "It's not important 'what' I am. All that's important
is that Sergei understands what will happen to him if any harm comes to your
sister." He squeezed and heard the man wheeze. "Nod if we understand
each other."

Sergei's
jaw clenched and he glared in defiance.

Linx
tightened his grip and felt the blood flow increase. "I said, nod if we
have an understanding."

Sergei
looked over at Taylor, a promise of retribution in his eyes,
then
he nodded.

Linx
squeezed until he passed out, then stared at the woman whose face was so much
like the one haunting him. "You're coming with me."

Taylor
backed away. "I can't go. If I leave, he'll come after me and kill
me."

Linx
shook his head. "No, he won't."

She
rubbed her trembling hands over her arms. "You don't know him like I
do," she said. "He doesn't forgive and he never forgets. By coming
here and doing this--” Taylor motioned to the bodies on the ground. “You've
signed mine and Tabby's death warrants."

"I
have ensured your safety," Linx said. "A simple thank you would be
enough. Now get your things. You’re coming with me."

Taylor
backed away.

“After
everything he’s done to your sister, you still want to stay with him?” Linx
could understand her fear, but not her misplaced loyalty.

“I
have no choice.”

"Fine,
we'll do this the hard way." Linx took out his weapon, flicked it to stun
and fired. Taylor's eyes rolled back in her head. He caught her before she hit
the dirty carpet.

Linx
carried the unconscious woman out the back door and found a sleek, black vehicle
parked in the alley. The design told him it was built for speed with its highly
polished paint and shiny silver wheels. The dark windows gave the driver total
anonymity, while the car all but screamed for attention. Linx knew it had to
belong to Sergei. He was the only man that he’d met
vain
enough to need it. He gently placed Taylor on the ground and went back inside
to retrieve the keys. He located them in Sergei's office shoved in a drawer.

After
liberating the keys, he walked back out into the alley and opened the car door.
He lifted Taylor and slipped her onto the backseat, then jumped behind the
wheel.

He
wasn't altogether certain how to operate the machine, but he'd watched Tabby
and the taxi driver enough to have a pretty good idea. Linx figured if he could
drive a spaceship, this land vehicle shouldn't be much of a problem.

It
turned out he was right about operating the vehicle, but he could’ve done with
a better understanding of what the various lights and signs meant. Linx didn't
think Sergei was going to be too happy with that four-foot long 'scratch' running
down the side of his ‘
Porch
’. At
least that’s what Linx thought the vehicle was called, although after the last
turn, it might’ve been missing a few letters.

It
took some backtracking, but Linx eventually found Tabby's home again.

Tabby
stepped out onto the front porch when he pulled in, her eyes widening when they
landed on the car. "What are you doing here? How did you get Sergei's
car?" Suspicion dripped from every syllable.

“He
didn’t loan it to me, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Linx's temper flared,
but he bit back words guaranteed to provoke her. He put the car in park and
stepped out of the vehicle. "I took care of the problem."

Tabby
frowned. "The only problem I have is you."

"I'll
be gone soon enough. In the meantime, I'd appreciate some help getting your
sister out of the car."

Tabby
rushed forward. "What is Taylor doing here?"

"I
couldn't exactly leave her after my
conversation
with Sergei and his men." Linx smirked. “I thought you’d be pleased.”

"I
am.” She stepped closer. “Now tell me about this conversation you supposedly
had." Tabby looked inside the car. Her eyes widened when she saw Taylor
slumped forward in the front seat. "What have you done?"

"I
got your sister back for you," Linx said. "You said that's all you
wanted. All you
cared
about." He
didn’t try to conceal his bitterness or the pain that came from her rejection.

"What's
wrong with her?" Tabby glared at him.

Linx
glanced at his passenger. "She's stunned, but is otherwise unharmed.”

"How
did that happen?" she asked. This time there was something on her face
that Linx hadn't seen before...fear. Tabby slowly backed away.

"I
would never harm you or your sister. She didn't want to leave Sergei after I'd
spoken to him." He gave her a pointed look. "It was not safe for her
to stay."

Understanding
dawned and Tabby nodded.

"If
you help me get her into the house, I will leave you and you'll never have to see
me again." She had no idea how much it cost Linx to say those words. He
felt as if his two hearts were being ripped from his chest. But if his absence
would ensure Tabby’s happiness, then somehow he’d force himself to leave.

The
beast within him snarled, but he steadfastly ignored it. He’d just have to find
another woman, another mate.

Even
as the thought crossed his mind, Linx knew he wouldn’t be able to replace Tabby
so easily.

*
* * * *

For
some reason the idea of never seeing Linx again, didn't sit well with Tabby.
She may not know him fully or understand his motives, but thus far he'd come
through for her when she'd needed him. Of course, that knowledge didn't stop the
growing concern in the back of her mind from kicking its way to the forefront.
She knew there was more going on here, than what he'd said.