Zara (9 page)

The women
’s eyes got big at recognizing Zara.  She got herself under control and turned back to Trig.

“
I apologize for not making the appointment, but…” She started crying.

“
It’s okay, Kiki.  You don’t have to do this.”  An older male stepped into view taking Kiki into his arms.

“
I have to, Dad.  Tod needs me to do this,” Kiki told the man, wiping away her tears.  She turned back to Trig.

“
We were getting ready to go to the interview at the IDJ headquarters but a man came to our apartment.  He said he was an IDJ officer and came to interview Tod in our home to make it convenient.  I let him in.  He seemed legit.  I stepped away for a moment leaving him alone with Tod.  I was only gone a few minutes.  When I came back, the man had left and Tod was withdrawn and quiet.  That night, I went to tuck Tod into bed and found him unconscious.  He had taken an overdose of some pills I had never seen before. I had to rush Tod to the hospital.  He almost succeeded in killing himself.”

Trig felt like someone hit him upside the head
.  He was in shock.  “I am so sorry.  I would never have asked if…  Wait, I never sent an officer to your home.”

Kiki shook her head
.  “I never should have let the man into our apartment. Tod feared he would be taken back to the ‘bad’ people.  I did everything I could to reassure him, but he fears these people.  They threatened him if he ever revealed anything about their organization.  Tod was so scared he would have rather died than face these people again.  That is why I finally requested this video call.  I need to get these ‘bad’ people put behind bars and away from other innocent children.”

“
I am sorry about what happened to Tod. I will send officers to guard you and I will do everything I can to see that justice will be served.”

“
I believe you will.  But we are somewhere safe and I will not reveal our location.” Kiki looked at Zara and somehow, they connected as one mom to the next.  “I wrote down all the information I could from what Tod told me about his life before.  I have names, dates, and locations.  I just hope it helps.  I am faxing it to you now.”

“
Thank you, Ms. Lassiter.  I hope Tod recovers.  Let us know if there is anything we can do for you or Tod.”

“
Just find these assholes!”

‘
We will.  I swear it,” Trig promised her.  He hoped he wouldn’t be proven a liar.

The call ended
.  Rachel reached out and handed Trig the paper that had the information on it.  Trig held the thing in his hands and scanned over its contents.  The muscle ticked in his cheek.

“
Get me a connection with the IDJ.  I have to make sure all the children who I recovered are protected.  We need someone to watch over Maya’s kids too.”

Rachel nodded and started placing calls.

“Well?” Zara asked and shifted anxiously in her seat.

“
We’ll be leaving right after the fight tonight.”

“
Where to?”

“
Where it all began…the breeding facility.”

How the hell was she supposed to concentrate on her fight when she was going to go to the one place she thou
ght she would never see again? 
Zara paced the holding room where the fighters awaited their match.  Hammer and Zen were fighting a pair match at the moment. 

Trig was sitting in a chair relaxed and watching the fight
.  He made comments here and there.  It was clear he liked watching the fights.  It made Zara smile.  He reminded her of when she had first started with the GCFA.  She had been enthusiastic about it.  It was something she was good at. 

“
You ready for this?” she asked him, sitting down next to him.

“
Hell yeah.” He then frowned.  “I just thought about it, I don’t have a fighting name.”

Zara gave him a devious smile
.  “Rachel said she had it taken care of.”

Trig rolled his eyes and groaned
.  “Oh no, she’ll pick something embarrassing.”

“
Probably.” Zara laughed at his predicament.  She stopped laughing as her thoughts turned to them having to leaving right after the fight and to where they were headed.

Trig wanted to distract her.  “
I’m curious.  In your suite, there is a chest under your coffee table locked.  What’s so important you have to lock it up?  Got some jewelry in there or something?”

Zara snorted.  “
Hardly.  I’m not a jewelry type of person.”

“
So what’s in the chest?”

She paused trying to debate if she should tell him or not.  “
It’s…presents.”

“
Presents?”

She nodded her head and looked away.  “
Each year on Angel’s birthday, I buy her a present, wrap it up, and place it inside the chest.  One day, I hope to give her the presents.  It’s stupid I know.  Since I may never find her.”

"No, it
's not."  By the look on Zara's face, he now wished he'd never brought the chest up.  "Don’t think about that now.  Let it go.  We have a fight to do first.  Keep your focus.  Who are we fighting anyway?”

*****

“Welcome back everyone to the beautiful sports arena here at the North Eastern Delta Region.  I am Johann and this is my co-announcer, Poland.  This is our second night here live at the Galactic Cage Fighters circuit event.”

“
We have had an exciting time here this evening so far.  The Sledge Hammer and Zen the Sin just won a match against two Sorians.  Though the Sorians were fast, they were no match for a smooth Felon and the brute strength of a Biclops.  What do we have up next, Johann.”

“
This one should be worth the wait.  I was told the mixed pair match had a last minute change-up.  Zara the Amazon will be pairing with another unknown full human.”

“
What?  A full human male?”

“
Yes.  He is Quick Trigger Roberts.”

“
Is the GCFA trying to send Zara a message?  First, she has to pair with newbie, Roxy the Red.  Now she has to pair with a full human male.”

“
It seems the Amazon may have stepped on someone’s toes.”

“
Who are they paired against?”

“
A full female Leptan and full male Rasilian.”

“
Stay tuned folks to see what is sure to be a very interesting match.”

*****

“Quick Trigger?” Trig was insulted at the name Rachel chose for him.  “What is she trying to say?”

“
Don’t worry.  We both know the truth on that one.”  Zara winked at him as they made their way down the path in the arena.  The crowd roared for them as they passed.  There was extra security in place and the arena had added weapon probes to scan the crowds before, during, and after the fight for anyone carrying a weapon. 

“
So, what should I expect with this fight?” Trig asked as he climbed into the cage after Zara. 

“
A lot of pain and a lot of blood.”

“
Great.”

*****

Round One started out with the Leptan throwing a high kick toward Zara.  The male Rasilian and Trig both stood at the opposite ends of the cage awaiting their turn.  Trig was glad Lesak had given him extra training after lunch.  Lesak being a Rasilian really helped prepare him for this match.

Zara connected some punches and the female Leptan went down pretty quick
.  She jumped on top in half guard.  The Leptan tried to throw Zara off with short punches.  Zara was relentless with controlling the Leptan’s right arm.

The Leptan disconnected Zara from her body with a knee and then twisting
.  Leptans were known for their flexibility almost as much as Felons were.  The Leptan was able to loosen Zara’s hold on her and rolled out from the mount.  She wasted no time in making her way over to her partner, the male Rasilian, and tagging him in.

Zara ignored Trig who was calling for her to tag him in
.  She stood and prepared to fight the male opponent.  The Rasilian’s eyes glowed and his body shimmered.  He turned into a full cyclops. 
Well shit.

She waited for him to make his first move
.  He tried to punch her but she locked him up in a choke.  He used his expanded muscle mass to break her hold.  She was only able to manage a few punches and elbows.  The male had a lot of power behind his punches.  The bell rung ending Round One.  Zara breathed heavily as she made her way over to an angry Trig.

“
Tag me in, Zara.”

“
I can handle him.”

“
Let me give him something else to hit besides your face.  Then you can get him while he’s the one winded.”

She knew he made s
ense.  They needed to work together to tire the Rasilian enough so he had to change back to his original form. She nodded her head.

Round Two
began with Zara and the Rasilian male who was still in Cyclops form.  Zara moved quickly to try to press him against the cage, but he threw a punch at her connecting with her chin making her fly backwards.  She made her way over and tagged Trig in.

“
About damn time,” Trig commented, helping her up and taking his fighting stance.  There was no finesse with the Rasilian.  He just used brute strength of his temporary form.  Trig was able to place an under hook, but the action was paused after a knee strayed low.  Trig jabbed at his opponent's body, but it seemed to bounce off him.  He was able to plant a few hard rights.

Trig thought they may have the Rasilian winded enough
, but then he tagged in the Leptan.  What the hell?  Trig wasn’t sure about fighting the female.  But she proved herself a strong opponent.  They traded knees against the fence.  When neither could take the other down, they disengaged and broke apart.  They circled one another.  The bell rung out ending Round Two. 

With Round Three they would be allowed to fight the match together
.  Trig breathed heavily as he made his way back to Zara. 

“
How we doing chief?”

Zara glared at him
.  “Not good.  We need to tire them out.”

“
Got any ideas?”

“
Yep, did you forget that I am more than just Beastial?”

Actually, he had
.  She didn’t really use her other abilities when practicing.  The bell rung and they both entered the center of the cage.

“
When I say, leap back toward to bars and stay there.”

Trig nodded his head.

The Leptan focused on Zara, leaving the Cyclops to go after Trig.  Trig knew the Cyclops had weak knees but didn't know if it applied to Rasilians posing as Cyclops. He did a punching combo to the body then a right downstairs and a low kick. The big guy went down.  He wasn’t ready for the attack on his legs.

Trig took advantage of his momentary lapse and stomped on the Cyclops
’ back.  Trig was then pushed down to the mat by a sudden attack from the Leptan.  She had saw the Rasilian go down, then came to aid her partner.  They were both in the center of the cage.

He looked up at Zara and she nodded her head
.  It was time.  Trig backtracked until his back hit the bars.  He watched in awe as Zara began running circles around the two opponents.  She went faster and faster, the air sucking from the center of the small cyclone like funnel she created.  Trig could feel the force of the wind that she created, pushing out against him.

“Johann, are you seeing this?”

“
Oh my!  Zara is using her Sorian abilities to suck the air from her opponents.  She has brought them to their knees.  Look at how both the Leptain and the Rasilian are struggling to get their breathing under control.”

“
The Rasilian cannot hold his borrowed form.  Look, he is shimmering and changing back to his natural form.  These two are in a lot of trouble now.” 

“
Now Zara and the human are mounting their opponents.  The referee is counting it down.”

“
Five….Four….Three…Two…One!  That is it folks!  Zara the Amazon and the full Human, Quick Trigger Roberts have won the match!”

*****

They didn’t leave until almost two hours after the end of the GCFA event.  Trig and Zara had to report in to the healers per contract and then they had to do some publicity photos.  Normally she hated the promotional part of her job, but Trig made it fun.  He even asked the photographer to send him a couple of the pictures to his cell phone.  The photographer, a pretty brunette, batted her eyes at him and agreed. 
Did every female find him irresistible?  Ugh.
However, to be fair, Trig didn’t flirt back.  He was polite and friendly but not overly friendly.  He kept his eyes on Zara the whole time.  The pictures he wanted were the ones of him holding Zara.

Afterwards, they went to their separate suites to shower and chang
e.  Then they met back up in the lobby of the GCFA ship.  Rachel was there waiting on them.

“
The shuttle outside will take you to the docking bay for a ship that will take you to the Region you need to go to.  I wish you would wait for the IDJ to send back up.”

“
I can’t request back up and waste resources on a false lead.  I need to check this out first.”

“
Be careful.” Rachel hugged Trig.  Then she turned to Zara who was not all that happy about the intimacy between them.  “I hope you find her, Zara.” They didn’t hug, just nodded at one another.

“
Zara!” Maya came rushing up breathing hard.  “I was so worried I wouldn’t catch you before you left.”

Zara tried not to smile at her friend
.  “Well, you got to me just in time.”

Maya threw her arms around the muc
h taller woman, hugging her.  “Be careful.”

“
I will.  See you soon.” Zara turned to leave.

Trig couldn
’t resist teasing her as they walked down the loading ramp for the GCFA ship.  “Careful, Zara.  People might start to think you actually like humans.”

“
Whatever.  Are we going to do this thing?”

“
Yep.”

They climbed into the shuttle and sat side by side
.  They didn’t say anything for a few minutes.  The tension for what they were about to do was building as was the sexual tension between the two of them.  They could pretend while around others that there was nothing going on, but when it was just the two of them—neither could deny it for long.  Finally, Zara couldn’t take the silence anymore.

“
You did good tonight.”

“
For a human?”

“
For…someone new to the GCFA league.  Thanks for filling in.”

Holy shit
!  Hell must have frozen over because Zara actually sounded grateful.

“
But your holds are weak and you need to work on your stamina.”

Ah…
there’s the honest Zara he knew.
  “I do know a good way to build up my stamina and perfect my holds,” he said with a sexy voice, wagging his eyebrows at her.

She turned to punch his arm
.  “I’m serious, Trig.  You could have been hurt.”

He laughed
, which infuriated her even more.  She went to punch him again but he caught her arm and pulled her to him.

“
Trig, we can’t,” she whispered right before he claimed her lips. She pulled back.  “How long till we get to the other ship?”

“”
Thirty minutes.” He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth.  All resistance from her evaporated as desire built quickly within her.

She climbed into his lap and pressed her breasts against his
.  She loved his lips.  They were so plush and he knew what to do with that mouth and tongue.  Her pussy lips dripped with the memories of what he could do to her.  She wanted him…now.