Not Quite Terran Part 3 (Scifi Alien Romance) (2 page)

At the first delicate brush of fingertips on her skin, she exploded into motion. She immediately wrenched away from the surface of the bed, while also shoving at the two nurses.

They should’ve sent men.

Two echoing screams followed her actions, and the moment her feet touched the ground, she was gone. She turned right outside her room, bare soles pounding on the polished flooring. She spared a glance for the directional signs, hunting for a way out of the maze of rooms and hallways. She turned left and then right again, darting around other medical staff, and she ignored the heavy and rapid thud of her pursuers. She skirted a cluster of doctors and snared one of the trolleys a technician carefully rolled down the hallway. She wrenched it from the woman’s grasp and then tipped it onto the floor, its contents scattering and hopefully slowing the security that chased her.

The emergency exit loomed ahead—later she would chuckle about the fact she truly was experiencing an emergency—but for now she merely thought of it as her savior. She crashed into the bar and threw the panel wide. She heard it slam against the wall behind her, but she was too focused on making it to the bottom of these endless steps. The rough uneven surface of each stair grated the soles of her feet, but she could worry about the pain later. Right now she had to concern herself with escaping this hellhole.

Shouts followed, pursuers racing after her as she descended past each level. Holy fuck, they had taken her high. Couldn’t they have stored her on the third floor or something?

She kept track of the numbered levels, her lungs burning, and she kept making new promises to herself with each one she passed. If she made it out, she would splurge on real chocolate. If she made it out, she’d buy a whole damned cow next time her biannual need came upon her. If she made it out, she would get pedicures once a week and be really nice to her feet for a long time. If she made it out…

I’m gonna make it out.

Two more levels, she only had to make it down two more and then the stairwell would dump her onto one of the medical structure side paths. She knew where she was now, knew the tiny alley was off the beaten path and not often used or even passed by visitors.

“If I make it to the main thruway I swear I will spend all my credits on those gorgeous shoes I saw—”

She grunted when she struck the final door, the lock fighting her before it finally gave away. She burst into the light and scrabbled to remain upright as her bleeding feet slipped over the smooth ground. She was free, yet not.

The shouts still followed her, those chasing her not giving up, and she pushed aside the pain once again. People were in view, those scrambling to and fro as they strode past the alleyway without a second glance. All her running left her with no breath, and she couldn’t even call out to them for assistance. She could only run.

She dug deeper and beckoned even more strength forward. She growled and grunted with each step, throwing snarls at her pursuers as she raced toward the crowd. Close. So very close. It was only a matter of time. She could almost feel the two men breathing down her neck with anticipation, their excitement flying from their pores and it merely spurred her on.

She finally skidded across the sidewalk, interrupting the constant and steady stream of people. But she didn’t stop there. She kept sliding and tumbling until the heated warmth of the pathway sank into her skin. Actually, her skin sank into it. As she tumbled and rolled, the rough surface scraped and cut at her flesh until it wasn’t only her feet that bled.

The high-pitched whine of electric brakes and screams of metal and motors reached her, invading her mind and overwhelming all her other senses. Admittedly, she found the situation a little ironic. She hadn’t wanted to live without her hand, but now it seemed she’d keep it and not live anyway. She tensed and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the impact that never came.

What did reach her was a very familiar and obviously furious set of growls and snarls. Then warm hands she’d been missing for uncountable wentics stroked her, carefully rolling her to her back and she finally forced her eyes open.

She met Karru’s enraged stare and fought to give him a small smile. “Hey.”

She didn’t address the fact her voice was thin and reedy or that she was slowly losing the battle for consciousness to the pain.

“Sweet one,” he murmured. “What have you done to yourself?”

Had she been in her right mind, she probably would have used a little more tact and blunted the truth a tiny bit. But she wasn’t. Not when her feet were burning and her skin throbbed in time with her heart.

She carefully relaxed her muscles and gently lifted her arm to bring it into his line of vision. “They were going to cut it off.” There should have been much more explanation in there, but she broke it down to its core. “And I didn’t want them to.”

She’d seen Karru angry and pissed off and annoyed, but this new emotion had nothing on any she’d seen in the past. It wasn’t the roaring fury that overcame him when he fought the Duggis males or the flat frustration he expressed when he tossed the Luvendari over the railing. This said everyone who even looked at her funny would die. That’s it. Just dead.

But he didn’t say a word or even take an aggressive stance. He simply looked her up and down and then gently reached for her. She hissed when he slid an arm beneath her neck and he immediately purred a soft apology. It was a pattern he repeated as he eased her into his arms fully and slowly stood with her in his embrace.

Heavily panting men raced forward, the first making a very deadly and very stupid mistake by speaking. “Jhoari C’Hali, please distance yourself…” He gasped and fought for air. “She is diseased and—”

Karru moved like lightning, but didn’t jostle her in any way. He managed to kick the speaker in the chest and send him flying through the air, crashing into a nearby structure as if he were nothing more than a bug. A small crowd gathered, several surrounding the downed man while others closed in on them. It was then she noticed the people who made up the group.

Several wore different uniforms and some even wore ceremonial robes. Including Karru. The normally thick and warm functional fabric that covered him was now the silk of brightly colored robes that probably announced his status.

Jhoari C’Hali.

He was important. He wouldn’t have been sent to infiltrate Rilli unless he was. That realization smacked her in the face.

Now that she understood his position, she nudged him and got his attention. “You should put me down. I’m getting you all bloody.”

His burning gaze met hers. “No.”

That was it. Nothing more than
no
. She frowned at him, he glared at her, and nothing was accomplished.

Someone nearby gasped and a flurry of words flew over her head. She recognized a few of the growls and was able to translate them, but the true message didn’t come across. She turned her attention to the other speaker, immediately recognizing him as another from Palia. But he wasn’t the only one. Several others peppered the crowd. Protecting him?

Probably. He had a title and all that. And he’d scouted the station before making himself known. He had to be
somebody
.

She looked up to his face. “Jhoari C’Hali?” More gasps and she wondered what mistakes she’d made now.

His voice was low and quiet, and he spoke to her as if she was a child. Not in condescension, but merely delivering a lesson. “I am always Karru to you.”

“But…”

“C’Hali if you must, but I shall always be Karru to you, sweet one. Never Jhoari.” More gasps and she wondered if someone had a breathing problem.

“Okay.” She twitched and then winced, pain reminding her she was hurt.

“What is the meaning of this?” She recognized that voice. The medical director.

She whimpered and cuddled closer to him, instinctually knowing he wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her.

“Sweet one?”

“He… He is the one who wanted to…” She didn’t care if she sounded like a whiny girl. A woman could only take so much in so short a period of time.

Karru shouted a few words, his attention bouncing from one Palia male to the other and as a coordinated group they culled the medical director from the crowd and pushed him into the impromptu circle. The director glared at the men who’d manhandled him. That disgruntled expression remained in place until his attention turned to the man holding her close. Then an entirely fake and solicitous smile graced his features. It dipped for the barest of tics when his attention flicked to her, but he quickly recovered.

“Jhoari C’Hali your associate seems injured. Our facility would be honored—”

“Silence him.” The director opened his mouth, only to have it shut by one of Karru’s men backhanding him. Secretly she was pretty damned pleased with the action. Outwardly she… was pretty damn pleased with the action. “You will listen. You attempted to maim the body of Jhoari G’Zeri and shall be punished.”

Rebecca had no idea what he was talking about—she assumed the “maim” referred to her but who knew about the G’Zeri part. No matter. He seemed angry enough to do bodily harm to the director and she was onboard with that.

“I never—”

“I heard the words from her lips. You were going to remove her,” he seemed to stutter for a moment, as if searching for the word.

“Hand,” she supplied quietly.

“You were going to remove her hand. The Palia will not stand for it.”

“That’s-that’s—” he sputtered. “That’s a blatant lie!”

Now it was her turn to be angry. “
I’m
the liar? Me?” She curled her lip and words so like Karru’s escaped her as she roared at him. “I’ve been subject to your tests, been poked and prodded for nearly twelve wentics, and now that I was released, you didn’t want to lose my hand.” She raised said hand and pointed at the vine decorated appendage. “You were ordered to let me go, but the communication didn’t say what state I had to be in, so you were going to interpret it as you saw fit.”

“
Liar
.” He hissed at her and obviously didn’t understand the danger he was in. Did he not notice the unconscious man leaning against the wall? “What proof do you have?”

Karru stepped closer to the medical director and somehow the man was still able to instill fear despite the fact he was holding a six-foot woman securely in his arms. “You dare imply—”

“She has no proof! I demand justice for this insult!”

That’s when Poxu showed up in all his overblown regalia. Medals and badges glittered and shined on his uniform and he strode into the small circle with an overabundant air of importance. “What’s going on here?” He zeroed in on Rebecca and Karru. “Officer Varda? What the hell happened to you?” Then Poxu glared at the medical director. “The last report was that she was healthy despite the unidentified markings. What the hell happened to her?”

The medical director backed away, fear now evident on his features.

Too little, too late.

“Um…”

“Jhoari inquired about her whereabouts. Then I demanded her release. Again, what happened to her?”

“Um…”

So, Rebecca explained it again. Briefly going over the details of her stay and what had occurred in the last half zentic. Poxu's eyes opened wider and wider with every word, his face paling and then flushing red as he turned a new glare on the medical director. “You stupid,
stupid,
poor excuse for an agrawe.
Do you know what you’ve done!
”

If she hadn’t been in ever-increasing agony, she would have smiled at the fact someone else was feeling the sharp side of Poxu's tongue.

“
She has no proof!
”

A flash of blue grasped her attention and she immediately sought out the technician. She’d know that hue anywhere. “Karru,” she whispered and he immediately focused on her. “I have someone… The technician who helped me… But I don’t know if he’ll come forward. He’ll lose his position and get kicked off Rilli if he does.”

“He assisted Jhoari G’Zeri and has shown himself as a true friend to Palia. His livelihood will be secured either here or on Palia. He will not suffer for helping you.” No hesitation, no doubt. Just a strong statement as if he could back up the words.

“Thank you.” She reached out, her hand trembling as she stroked the strong line of his jaw. “Thank you so much.”

This time she ignored the gasps and just enjoyed the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips. He breathed deeply, his nostrils flaring, and then he froze in place. It seemed the scent of her blood reminded him of her injuries, and his fury flared to life once again.

“Rasu!” Karru managed to shout and growl at the same time and one of the men from the crowd darted forward. “Secure the male…” He looked to her and she finished the sentence.

“Technician Atan. He’s, er, blue and at the back of the crowd.”

“Secure Technician Atan with our thanks and provide whatever he needs to be comfortable. He is a friend of Palia and Jhoari G’Zeri.” Rasu bowed slightly and then spun away to delve into the crowd. Seeing that his orders were being followed, Karru focused on her. “We shall have you attended.” He jerked his head in a decisive nod.

Then Poxu had to be dumb. “We can step into the medical facility and—”

“Jhoari G’Zeri will never suffer Rilli treatment again. Palia can care for its own and none other than the Jhoari healers will ever touch her skin.” With that, Karru spun, his hold still careful and tender as he strode toward a waiting vehicle.

Within moments they were inside the transport with her nestled on his lap, his hands holding her close, and she sighed in contentment. She never imagined she’d experience his touch again. Now that he’d been returned to her, she’d savor every moment. “Rest, sweet one, we shall have you tended soon.”

She stiffened. “Not another doctor. Do we have to see a doctor?” Unease and a hint of fear slithered through her. “I don’t want to see another—”

He placed his hand over hers and she suddenly realized she’d been fisting the fabric. “You need to be looked over for injury.”

“It’s mostly scrapes and bruises. Can’t you check me out and… I felt a lot better after the pool.” In more ways than one. “I missed it. I missed you.”