Invasion Earth (20 page)

Bowing low, he took his leave, promising to
see them at dinner. He needed to see to their room assignments,
make sure she was in one that was easily accessible from the tunnel
hidden in his. He had the perfect room in mind. It overlooked the
gardens in the family wing and had a bed big enough for his large
frame. The four posters would be perfect for securing her. His cock
expanded at the thought. If he could get a grip on himself before
dinner, it wouldn’t be so hard to arrange another meeting. He knew
Laney planned on giving the women a short tour and had a good idea
what her final destination would be.

***

From the shadows, another man watched the
unfolding scene between the three human women and Daggar Torfa with
dismay. Barak Trace, Commander of Intelligence, hadn’t planned on
watching the disembarkment, hadn’t wanted to be here at all, but
with Alrik in the Southern Provinces checking up on the usual
rebels he’d had no choice. It was easy enough to take time out to
observe, easy enough to monitor the arrival of just one passenger.
But the traveler, her background, and what he suddenly, achingly
realized she meant to him were not so simple to handle.

They ran checks on all humans requesting to
visit Delroi of course, and usually those reports were
straightforward and easily verified. When Britt Anderson’s
application went through his office, he didn’t think much of it.
She wanted to travel with a friend that turned out to be a friend
of Laney Torfa, General Alrik’s mate. Such requests were not
unusual and a small handful of human women had made their way to
Delroi in such a fashion. But Lady Torfa was not an average female,
even for Earth. Neither were her friends as it turned out.

Many people wouldn’t have been apprehensive,
but he’d made a career as a spy, and before that spent his
childhood wary, cynical and untrusting. So when Britt Anderson’s
background check came back, he scanned it quickly. Then read it
carefully. She was a famous painter on Earth, true. She had
showings and sales going back two decades. A child prodigy. But
there were curious holes in her past. Months or years at a time
where she seemed to completely disappear. It alerted him, made him
anxious and suspicious.

Luckily, in the last few months he’d
cultivated contacts inside the Earth Alliance and was able to get
her records. He went through all his lower level contacts before
one with a high security clearance found the information he was
after. She was a talented and valuable spy, her files indicating
she was on inactive duty. It was only his perseverance, his sixth
sense screaming at him this woman was not who she claimed that made
him take it that far.

He and Alrik had argued over it for weeks
before Alrik made the decision to let her come. He rationalized the
Earthlings only wanted more in depth information. Information they
were unsure of coming from Lady Torfa. Barak was not so sure, but
he knew his place, understood his position in the chain of command.
He could advise, was often heeded, but the final call would never
be his. So with Alrik gone, he’d come here to witness this
inauspicious occasion. The arrival of the first spy from Earth.

The problem was--and he admitted his problems
were legion at this point--the woman could not be ignored. She was
his
and he did not have time for the complication she
presented. Nor did he have the heart to send her home. If he was in
a better mood or a humorous kind of man, he might have found it
funny. Ironic even. The Delroi master spy’s
der’lan
was,
well, a spy. Who said the gods didn’t have a sense of humor?

He watched Daggar take her hand in his, felt
the growl rise in his throat. Daggar released her quickly and she
glanced around, her eyes searching the shadows. He felt the weird
flare of energy he’d learned to associate with psychics using their
power. There was no way she could see him, but she’d sensed his
regard and his displeasure at her touching another man. He moved
farther back, pressing his spine into the wall behind him, and took
deep meditative breaths. He must remain in control, but his job was
suddenly complicated beyond anything he’d ever experienced. Ferret
out the rebel plot, protect Lady Torfa, the doctor who’d come to
visit her and belonged to his Lord if Daggar’s reaction to her was
anything to judge by, and the other. Britt. His own
der’lan
,
though he couldn’t afford to claim her right now. Could he
ever?

He’d managed to infiltrate the rebel force,
but if they discovered what he was, who he was, anyone and everyone
that meant anything to him would be considered fair game. He’d
protect her at all costs, which meant he must stay away from her.
He felt a stabbing in the vicinity of his heart and his Delroi
genetics came roaring to the forefront, demanding he go after her,
claim her, rut with her. Gritting his teeth, he didn’t move. He was
better than biology. Smarter than biology. DNA be damned. He’d keep
her safe whatever way he had too.