Alien Love (2 page)

Fiery pain became
Kiele’s constant companion.

Every breath, every tiny movement tortured him with the need for water.

He gave up trying to free himself; the shackles bound his wrists tightly, and the attempt cost him precious minutes when he fought to breathe after too much exertion. He also recognized the signs of his body starting to shut down. Years ago, he had been trapped in a damaged ship, unable to reach a water source.

That time he had nearly died. But the pain, even then, had not been as severe—as debilitating. He could not even draw his legs up, to help relieve some of the pressure on his side.

He glanced over at Rell, his captor. The T’An was still unconscious, but Kiele could not take that as fact for much longer. With an effort he knew would cost him, he braced his hands against the floor and tried to push himself up. His arms buckled before he made it halfway. He had enough strength left to keep his face from slamming into the rough cement. His gills spasmed, forcing him to take deeper, agonizing breaths to keep from blacking out.

That would come, soon enough. And would leave him alone with a soldier bent on retaliation. If he lost consciousness, Kiele knew he would never wake again.

***

Melissa caught Anji’s
arm as they practically ran down the corridor, holding her back far enough to keep Orlen from overhearing.

“I don’t know if I can get us back in, Anji, never mind two obvious T’An soldiers.”

“Okay.” Her mind worked furiously, scanning through everything she had seen in the spa, and the lab under it. The spa…

She had an idea. And God, was Orlen going to hate it.

After whispering the bones of it to Melissa, the woman smiled. “That could work—if you can even get them to do it.”

“Oh, they’ll do it. Kiele is their commander, and I’m betting on them doing anything to get him back.”

Lieutenant Pern waited for them at the main hatch, armed to the teeth. “Sir. I brought weapons for you—ˮ

“Leave them.” Orlen turned to Anji. “You have some ridiculous scheme to sneak us into this lab. I overheard enough,” he flashed a rare smile when Anji stared at him. “Now tell us the full of it, and quickly.”

Anji obeyed, bracing herself for his inevitable outburst. He surprised her again by nodding.

“It could work. You believe we can pass as human?”

“If you cover your scales and gills, yeah. Melissa and I will help, make sure everything’s under a towel or a robe. It means taking one weapon, Orlen. One small weapon.”

“As I have no plans to attack the entire complex, one weapon will be enough.” He gestured to Pern, who studied him like he’d turned into a stranger. “Find the most powerful weapon in your arsenal, Lieutenant, but small enough to fit in a pocket.”

Muttering, Pern obeyed, and had a pile of weapons next to him by the time he stripped down. Melissa watched him, and shook her head when he finally dropped the last knife on the pile.

“That’s it, Lieutenant?”

He raised an eyebrow, and revealed another set of throwing knives, strapped to his forearm under his uniform. “These I will keep.” He glanced at Orlen. “Sir. I never leave the ship without them.”

“They will be easy enough to conceal.” Orlen picked up a small pistol—one Anji knew could do serious damage at close range. “The human female will lead the way, until we are inside the spa. Then I will take command of the rescue.” His glare would cower any man. Melissa smiled at him.

“I’m good with that, Grumpy. You happen to know your way around the lab? Because I’m happy for you to take the lead—what was that?”

Orlen had been cursing under his breath since Melissa called him Grumpy. “I do not.” He ground the words out.

“So—I lead, Anji covers my back, you two rescue. We good?”

Orlen and Pern exchanged glances, and Anji expected the engineer to pull rank. Instead, he nodded, and palmed the hatch open.

“Lead the way, human.”

“Melissa,” she said, stopping long enough to pat his cheek. “If that’s too much for you to remember, you can call me Mel.”

Anji had to bite her lip to keep from laughing as she followed. Orlen looked like he’d been smacked with a wrench.

***

They made good
time, crossing the dark, nearly empty city center faster than Anji expected. Melissa didn’t lie; she knew her way around, and easily avoided any patrols by ducking into almost invisible side streets or alleys. By the time they reached the line of fake palm trees, Anji began to hope again that they’d be able to save Kiele.

Melissa stopped near the entrance to the spa. “This is where we separate, for now. I’ll meet you inside, near the pools. The employees who are working with the lab will be watching for me.” She stepped to Anji and dismantled her braid. “Use this to hide your face. Keep your head down, and pretend to be their possession. I know Orlen can act like a master.” She winked at him, and Anji swore she saw him fight a smile. “See you soon.”

Orlen didn’t wait for her to disappear. He took Anji’s arm and headed for the doors. “Pern, stay on her other side. We are newly arrived, in need of some rest and recreation.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in so close not even a whisper could pass between them. “Look defeated, Anji. They will pay more attention to us if you become background. And keep your tattoo covered.”

“Right.” She pulled her sleeve down, to cover the new tattoo on her left wrist. It felt like days had passed since she sat in the clean, brightly lit studio with Kiele, and received the physical mark of their joining. That it had been this morning, and felt so long ago, told her she was running on fast-fading adrenaline.

Pern moved to her side and they entered the spa, looking as intimidating as two T’An soldiers fresh from space duty. Orlen walked straight up to the counter and aimed his glare at the already cowering female receptionist.

“I wish for some private time.”

“All three of you?” she squeaked.

“Of course.” Orlen looked at her like she was dense. “We require water, privacy, and clothing suitable for easy disrobing.”

“Yes.” She recovered enough to push a pile of pristine white towels and robes at them. “Follow the signs to the private pools.” She glanced down at the screen in front of her. “The last pool room on the left is free. You can take that one.” She tapped fast, then backed away from the counter and pointed. “That way.”

Orlen turned without so much as a thank you—a true, obnoxious T’An—hauling Anji with him. Pern stayed behind, covering them from behind, until they reached the private room the receptionist indicated. Once inside, Orlen let her go and started to strip.

“Change, both of you.”

Anji grabbed her robe and moved to the semi privacy of a shadowed corner. Both T’An undressed without any sense of embarrassment, and she snuck quick glimpse of strong, broad shoulders and tanned skin before they slipped into the short robes. She dropped her laser screwdriver into one pocket, then slung the first aid kit over her shoulder, tying her hair back before she grabbed one of the towels and stopped in front of Orlen.

“Bend down, so I can reach your head.” One eyebrow raised, he did. Anji gently pressed on the back of his head until he was looking at the floor, then gathered up his shoulder length black hair and draped the towel around his head, twisting it up so it covered his hair, and the scales along his hairline. “Up, let me see.”

He obeyed quickly, like he knew that time was running away from them. “Yes?”

“Covered. A towel around your neck will cover the scales there.” She turned, and found Pern had copied what she’d done with Orlen, his throwing knives hidden under the sleeve of his robe. “Good.”

“Can you lead us from here?”

“I think—ˮ She moved to the floorplan on the wall next to the door, and recognized their location. “Yeah. Kiele’s under us, about here.” She touched a spot on the plan, hoping her recall was right.

“Come.” Orlen grabbed her arm and stalked out of the pool room, heading deeper into the spa. “We will need water.”

“The bastards chained him next to the water. Just out of his reach. He’s also injured, Orlen. His left side was bleeding.”

Both Orlen and Pern cursed in their language and moved faster. Their bare feet made no sound on the stone floor, and they took the guard in front of the door leading to the lab by surprise. Pern covered his mouth and stabbed him. Anji bit her lip to keep from crying out. She knew they’d have to resort to violence—she was less prepared for it than she thought.

Pern dragged the dead T’An to a shadowed niche and returned, examining the lock on the door. “It has a palm scan.”

“I can override that.” She moved to Pern’s side and pulled out her screwdriver, setting it to the highest strength. A few strategic blasts disabled the lock and the door slid open. Both T’An stared at her. “I never leave home without it.”

Pern grinned. “I believe the Commander chose well, Orlen.”

Orlen grunted and led the way into the lab.

They spent the next few minutes playing hide and seek with the guards that patrolled the perimeter. Now that they were inside, Orlen wanted to call as little attention to them as possible. Wearing bright white robes and towels didn’t help. When they found a safe place to stop, both T’An stripped off the towels and the robes, leaving them in what looked like tight fitting black boxers. Anji got rid of her own robe, more than a little self-conscious in her thin blue silk camisole and matching panties. She’d worn them for Kiele.

She pulled her screwdriver out of her robe pocket, grabbed the first aid kit, and joined them, grateful that neither one commented on her girly underwear. They moved down the narrow corridor, Anji between the two T’An, her screwdriver notched up as high as it would go.

Movement ahead had Orlen crowding her against the rough wall. He spoke to Pern, low and fast, then crept forward. A stifled gasp told Anji he found the source.

She expected him to return with bloody hands—and jerked in surprise when Melissa appeared, wearing a lab coat and holding a tablet.

“Glad to see you made it. Nice outfit, Grumpy.” Orlen grunted, but Anji thought he looked pleased by the compliment. “The Commander is on the other side, and we have several  checkpoints between here and there.”

Orlen studied her. “Your disguise will allow you through, yes?”

“Yes. I distract, you sneak. The lighting here is so bad the guards tend to jump at shadows. You’ll have to be fast, and dead quiet.”

“Obviously.”

She smiled at Orlen. “I think I like you, Grumpy.”

He grunted again and pointed. “Go.”

They slipped past the first three guards without a problem, Melissa flirting to hold their attention. The last guard was far more suspicious.

“I have not seen you before.”

“That’s because I’m new, handsome. Part of the research team, for T’An/human compatibility. Exciting stuff.”

“I need to see your ident card.”

“Oh, right. I’ve got it in my pocket.” She fumbled around her lab coat, waving at them behind her back with her other hand. “Hold on—I don’t usually keep it in my pocket.”

Pern took the lead as they inched along the wall, a knife in his right hand. Orlen had Anji stay behind him, kept her half hidden with his body. They almost made it.

“You!” The guard leaped past Melissa, his laser pistol aiming at Pern. “You are not authorized to—ˮ

Pern threw the knife just as he fired.

The blade took the guard in the throat and he toppled. Unfortunately, the laser blast burned through Pern’s right shoulder. He pressed his hand against the wound, his right arm limp at  his side.

“Sorry, sir.” Pain edged his quiet voice. “I thought I could stop him before—ˮ

“Can you continue?”

Pern straightened. “Yes, sir.”

“Then we go.”

Melissa joined them, and stripped off her lab coat, handing it to Pern. “Use this to stop the bleeding. Come on—we won’t have much time before he’s found.”

They moved fast now, no longer worried about being caught. Anji recognized the corridor they turned into. It led straight to the hole meant to be her grave. Straight to Kiele.

***

Roaring pain jerked
Kiele upright.

He reached for his left side, and the chains brought him up short. His tormentor laughed, the sound coming from directly above him.

Rell was awake.

“Still alive, Commander? You are stronger than I expected. I thought you would die from despair when I tossed your mate into the water. She is dead by now, beyond your ability to save.”

When Kiele did not respond, another breath-robbing wave of pain spread across his back. Rell’s fingers dug into his damaged gills, every touch agonizing. Kiele fought to take in a breath, his lungs aching. His gills convulsed, seeking the water he so desperately needed. He clutched the floor, recognized the signs of his body starting to shut down.