Romancing the Alpha: An Action-Adventure Romance Boxed Set (59 page)

Damn
. The man’s blows were far harder than Damon had anticipated. He was stronger. Too strong.

They moved around each other, ducking and dodging each other’s blows.

A chop landed between Damon’s shoulder blades, sending him stumbling. He caught his balance and spun around, but the caretaker had moved in the blink of an eye and was out of reach.

He was too strong and too fast.

Damon studied him more closely, but couldn’t see any enhancements or implants that would indicate he was a cyborg. Maybe some sort of stimulant?

Dathan raced out of the shadows and swung a hefty golden statue at the caretaker. The statue made contact, but the caretaker just spun, grabbed the idol and tossed it aside. Then he slammed a wicked front kick into Dathan’s chest.

The younger man flew backward, taking out a few larger treasures with a loud crash. He groaned and flopped onto the stone floor.

Damon snatched up the statue from where it had landed near his feet. He held it up it like he was stepping up to the plate in the Galactic Baseball Championships. When the caretaker turned back to him, Damon swung the statue with all his strength.

It connected with the caretaker’s head.

The man’s head turned under the blow, but he didn’t stagger or lose his balance.

Slowly, he turned back to face Damon and Damon’s stomach tightened.

The blow had ripped off the left side of the caretaker’s face, uncovering a mass of wiring and blinking lights.

“You’re a syndroid.”

“Yes. Appointed and programmed by the priestesses.”

And he was a damned good model. More lifelike than anything Damon had seen.

Lexa stepped forward. “That isn’t possible.” She was cradling her middle but seemed okay. “You’re clearly a modern model of droid. The priestesses have been gone for centuries.”

“For eight hundred years, five months, and twenty-seven days. That’s when Tialla, final Orphic priestess, took her last breath. She was the one to program the first early model droid—not much more than a metal can with a computer—as caretaker of the temple and the treasure of the goddess.”

“First droid?” Damon prompted.

The caretaker gave one small nod. “Part of our programming was to continually update and download our programming into a new model syndroid as the years passed.”

“Ingenious,” Lexa murmured.

“Tialla wanted to ensure this temple’s legacy, to ensure the security of the egg and ensure it never fell into the grubby hands of those who only saw its monetary value.” His dark gaze landed on Dathan.

Dathan cocked a hip. “Hey, my hands are not grubby.” He held them up.

“Phoenix, Dathan. Treasure hunter in training, apprenticed to your father, Phoenix, Brocken. Your sire has sold a small fortune in ancient artifacts. The probability is that you will follow him.”

“I’m not planning to follow him anywhere,” Dathan said vehemently.

Lexa shifted “Look, I think—”

The syndroid’s gaze landed on her. “Carter, Dr. Alexa Cassandra. Astro-archeologist, finished in the top percentage of your class. Currently curator of the Darend Museum.”

“Then your records tell you that I restore and safeguard artifacts and treasures.”

“But not in their rightful places.” His gaze moved over all of them. “The egg stays here.”

“Where no one can see it?” she asked, her voice earnest. “It should be enjoyed. Appreciated.”

“It’ll be where someone can’t sell it.”

“I don’t want to sell it!” she said. “I want to know its story, and share that with the galaxy.”

The syndroid regarded her steadily and took a step toward her.

Damon moved. “No closer.”

The caretaker turned to look at him. “Malik, Damon. Head of Security for the Darend Museum, although you’ve only recently begun the role. Strangely, I am unable to access any other information on you.” The droid tilted its head. “From your fighting ability, I would deduce military training or something similar.”

Damon stayed silent. The droid could deduce all it wanted. If it touched Lexa again, Damon would end it.

“My sensors detect your body’s responses which indicate an emotional connection to Dr. Carter.”

“If you’re asking if I’d kill for her, the answer is a very easy yes.”

Lexa put a hand on his arm, but she was looking at the syndroid. “If we found this place, others will, too.”

“I will ensure they do not. I attempted numerous times to divert you.”

Lexa blinked. “You sent the thieves and the wolves, and caused the sinkhole?”

“Yes. And the sandstorm.”

“All to protect the temple?”

“Yes. You persisted far beyond any others who have attempted.”

She looked at the egg, a sad smile on her face. “Because I believed finding this was important. That sharing its history was the right thing to do.”

The droid was silent.

She sighed. “We’ll leave—”

Damon controlled his start of surprise. “Lexa?”

“You can’t be serious!” This from Dathan.

She held up a slim hand. “Quiet, Dathan.” Her gaze found Damon. “He’s following the wishes of the priestesses. That’s important, too.”

“You wanted this enough to fight for it,” Damon said.

“Yes. But being on this hunt with you…I realized that believing in myself was just as important as finding the temple and putting the egg on display under lights.”

God, would she ever stop surprising him? Nope. Damon suspected Lexa would always keep him guessing. “You’re pretty special.”

She smiled. “Oh, I know.”

He grabbed her hand, entwined their fingers. “Just so you know, I’m planning on falling in love with you.”

She gasped, her fingers flexing on his. “What?”

“Well, I think I’ve already started, somewhere between you kneeing me in the balls and you storming into a pack of wild desert wolves.” He drew her closer.

She pressed a palm to his chest. “You’re awfully easy to please, Mr. Malik.” Her voice was breathless. “Oh, Damon, I was upset this would be over between us when the hunt was finished. That you’d lose interest.”

He laughed. “Sweetheart, I’ve never met a woman who’s kept me on my toes as much as you.”

“Ah…hello?” Dathan waved an arm at them. “Temple, treasures and killer droid here, remember? Can you deal with the mushy stuff later?”

“A true romantic,” Lexa murmured.

Over her head, Damon looked at the droid, who was watching them with an unwavering stare.

“You wanted to place the egg in your museum?” the caretaker asked.

Lexa swiveled in Damon’s arms. “Yes.” A rueful smile. “I’ll be honest, I’ve already designed the exhibit a hundred times in my head. And he—” she jabbed her thumb into Damon’s chest “—would have driven me crazy with all the things he’d have done to keep the egg safe from the hordes of schoolchildren who’d come to see it.” She looked at the Terran treasure again. “But it looks like it belongs here.”

“Children?”

“Yes. The Darend gets a large number of school groups from around the quadrant who come to learn history from our collections.”

The droid was silent and Damon suspected it was running some sort of program. Damon stayed prepared for whatever happened next.

“I am at the end of my useful life cycle.” The droid scanned the temple. “I had planned to purchase and program a newer-model syndroid soon to become the new caretaker.” His gaze landed on a small group of statues of priestesses. “I remember Priestess Tialla’s last words. That the egg was not just a symbol of new life, but of hope and growth. That hope and growth were the two most important things people needed in their lives.” He straightened and looked at Lexa. “I believe now is the time for growth and change.” He grabbed her hand.

Damon moved to intercept but Lexa stopped him with her other hand and the look in her eyes. “It’s okay.”

“Dr. Alexa Carter, do you accept the role of caretaker of this temple and its treasures, and promise to ensure the Fabergé egg is protected, treated with respect, and admired by all those children you mentioned?”

Damon blinked. Holy stars, the droid was
giving
the egg to Lexa?

“I do,” she said solemnly.

The droid nodded. “It has been hidden too long in the dark.”

“I’ll take care of it, of everything here.”

“Thank you.” The droid gave them one long look before he dropped Lexa’s hand. “My function has been achieved.” The syndroid turned and disappeared into the shadows.

“Damn.” Dathan was shaking his head. “I still get my three things, right?”

Lexa smacked him. “You are going to drive some woman nuts one day.”

The treasure hunter grinned and winked. “More than one woman, I hope.” He wandered off to study the egg.

Damon hugged Lexa close, resting his chin on the top of her head. “Well done, Dr. Carter.”

“I still can’t believe it. There’s so much to organize…I need to contact Marius, and the Institute. We need to secure the treasure.”

“We’ll sort it out, and get all this stuff back to the Darend.”

She smiled. “I can’t wait.”

“So, do you want to drive me crazy for a really, really long time?”

She laughed, and looked up at him, and there it was. That look on her face, like she was looking at the most important thing she’d ever seen. Something she wanted to keep and hold on to.

“I think I’m up for the task.” She brought her lips close to his. “Someone told me I’m smart, and confident, and determined. I think I can handle one former super spy.”

He dropped his mouth to hers.

Damon didn’t doubt it. And he was going to enjoy every minute of handling his own beautiful trouble magnet.

Darend Museum, Zeta Volantis

Press Release #PR-23-54-90-76

Subject: New Exhibition – Orphic Priestesses and the Fabergé Egg

The Darend Museum is delighted to announce the opening of their new exhibit, the Orphic Priestesses and the Faberge Egg. Museum Curator Dr. Alexa Carter was the discoverer of the invaluable Terran treasure after the museum funded an expedition to the desert planet of Zerzura to find the egg.

“This is a dream come true,” Dr. Carter was quoted saying in a recent interview. “To have the priestesses’ treasure on display for all to see. It was time for it come out of the dark.”

When asked about her dangerous trip to Zerzura, the astro-archeologist only had praise for the other two members of her team: up-and-coming young treasure hunter, Dathan Phoenix, and her head of security, Damon Malik.

Mr. Malik is also in charge of the state-of-the-art technology used to secure the egg and the other historical treasures that make up the exhibition.

The Darend Museum is also delighted that the new exhibit will also be location of Dr. Carter and Mr. Malik’s upcoming wedding. It seems the Goddess’ powers of love worked their magic on the treasure-hunting couple. The Museum wishes them all the best.

To book your tickets for the exhibition, or to arrange a private group viewing, contact the Darend today.

—THE END—

For a limited time, I’m giving away a free copy of the
Phoenix Adventures
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The
Phoenix Adventures
continue with more action, adventure and romance, plus a very grown-up Dathan Phoenix in
At Star’s End
—a galactic treasure hunt for the last remaining fragment of the Mona Lisa.

The Phoenix Adventures

At Star’s End

In the Devil’s Nebula

On a Rogue Planet

Beneath a Trojan Moon

Beyond Galaxy’s Edge

On a Cyborg Planet

And for more sexy science fiction romance and alpha male heroes, check out
Hell Squad
: the toughest squad of commandos fighting for humanity’s survival. Heroes will rise when they have someone to live for.

Marcus

Cruz

Gabe

Reed

Time Thief

Mind Raider

Soul Stealer

Salvation

Among Galactic Ruins

At Star's End

In the Devil's Nebula

On a Rogue Planet

Beneath a Trojan Moon

Beyond Galaxy's Edge

On a Cyborg Planet

Winter Fusion

Wind Kissed, Fire Bound

Taken by the South Wind

Tempting the West Wind

Defying the North Wind

Claiming the East Wind

Savage Dragon

Hunter’s Surrender

One Night with the Wolf

A Galactic Holiday

Moonlight (UK only)

Vampire Hunter (UK only)

Awakening the Dragon (UK Only)