Sweet Alien Savage (Zerconian Warriors Book 4) (16 page)

“So if you were with Aline the night Sally was murdered,” Mila stated as she paced back and forth in front of a clearly nervous Zac, “then why did you tell us that Sally’s tablet was missing? Who are you covering for?”

“Nobody,” Zac spat out. His face was pale and sweat glistened on his forehead.

Koran watched on in amazement as his mate interrogated the male. His natural inclination had been to take over. He would never have thought his sweet, gentle mate capable of this. Oh, she never raised her voice, never grew angry or violent.

But the relentlessness with which she questioned Zac filled Koran with surprise.

And pride.

So he sat back and watched. If she needed him he would step in, he would happily do any dirty work.

Her body might be fragile and delicate, too easily breakable. But she had a strength inside her worthy of a warrior.

“Then you were hiding what you did. You killed Sally, didn’t you, Zac?”

“I told you, I was with Aline.”

“But you forget I know how deeply Aline sleeps. You could have snuck out without her knowledge.” Mila leaned over him, hands resting on the chairs arms.

Koran let out a low growl and Mila rose, giving him a brief glance. He had let her take control, but he didn’t like her getting close to the other male. Not because he was jealous. She would never want this puny, sniveling male. But she was smaller than the male and he could hurt her.

Not that Koran would allow that to happen.

But still, it was best she keep her distance.

Mila nodded and he knew she had sensed his feelings through their bond. She winked at him and his cock filled.

She was so beautiful. He knew she was still sore from their joining. But he hoped what he had in mind would ease her instead of add to her pain. He imagined her tied to the bed, legs spread, his tongue working its way over her clit, teasing it before slowly entering her pussy.

Mila strode past him. “Stop it,” she hissed.

He raised his eyebrows.

“Stop imagining that. I’m trying to remain focused.”

“Sorry, Mila.” He closed off that part of his thoughts. Their bond had developed quickly and was much stronger than he had realized.

“So, Zac, did you sneak out of Aline’s bed to kill Sally. Why? Was she threatening to tell Aline that you were sleeping with her?”

“What? No. I love Aline. Why would I cheat on her?”

Koran could tell he was sincere and he knew Mila too.

“Then why keep the tablet quiet? Who is GM?”

“GM?” Zac asked, bewildered. “I don’t know. Why would I know?”

Mila sighed and Koran stepped forward. He just stood there, staring down at Zac. “Why did you keep the tablet from us?”

Zac swallowed nervously, his breath increasingly growing faster. “Because I wanted to solve the murder! I kept it quiet as an advantage, only I couldn’t hack into the damn thing!”

Mila placed her hands on her hips, giving the sweating man an exasperated look. “This was just about ego? For God’s sake, Zac.”

“I wanted Aline to see me as someone she could respect, instead of just a fuck buddy. She used to call me whenever it suited her, whenever she had an itch she needed scratched. I was her call boy. I wanted to be more. So I kept the tablet to myself.”

“You couldn’t hack the tablet and yet you were able to scramble the origin of that vid?” Mila asked.

Zac grew pale. He licked his lips. “I, um…”

“You what? Who helped you, Zac?”

“Bastian. He’s the one who put the vid together and transmitted it.”

“Aline said your brother did it,” Mila stated. Her face didn’t display her feelings, but Koran could feel her betrayal and sadness at her sister’s lies.

“She didn’t know about Bastian’s role. He didn’t want anyone else knowing. So I made up that lie about my brother. I don’t have a brother. I have no one.”

***

Mila watched as the guards led Zac away. “I feel sorry for him. He did it all because he loves Aline.”

“He chose to do what he did,” Koran told her.

“I’m glad our relationship isn’t based on love.”

“You are?” he asked.

“Yeah. Love does weird things to people. My father claimed to love all of his wives, but he cheated on each of them. Zac claims to love Aline, so he did all these things to impress her. Love sucks. I’ll have security pick up Bastian.”

Her tablet pinged. “We have three matches to the initials GM. Gina Marshall. George Moran and Greg Man. I think we can rule Gina out.”

Koran nodded. “The neighbors said it was a male. So that leaves George and Greg.”

“George is nearly seventy and talking about retirement. He wouldn’t have the strength to strangle Sally.”

“And Greg?” he asked.

“In his forties. Quiet guy. I would never have guessed it would be him, but then I suppose killers don’t go around with a sign advertising their guilt. I’ll have security pull him in. Even if he isn’t our murderer, he might be able to direct us to who is.”

She spoke into her communicator. “I better update Aline too.” Aline had chosen to wait in her quarters while they used her office. Normally these interrogations would have fallen to Zac’s second in command. But because they didn’t know who was involved, Aline had told Mila to handle it and record the sessions.

“Funny, I kind of forgot that in proving Darac was innocent, I would be putting the guilt onto someone else I know.”

“You do not put the guilt on anyone. Someone killed her. That was their choice.”

“Yeah.” She nodded, but still looked sad.

“Mila, I can handle this.” He would spare her all of this if she would let him.

“No.” Mila shook her head tiredly. “Aline gave me this task. I can handle it.”

“I have no doubt of that. You are very strong.”

“I don’t feel strong right now. I feel like I could shatter at any moment.” When she glanced up at him, her eyes glittered with tears.

Following his instinct, Koran pulled her into his arms, holding her close.

“All will be well, Mila.”

“Yeah? How can you be so sure?”

“Because I have you and you have me. Together we are strong. We can conquer all.”

She sniffled, pulling back. “I think that’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever said.”

“I am not a romantic man. I don’t know how to be romantic and I probably never will.”

She patted his chest. “It’s okay, big guy. I know that.”

“I will get you flowers,” he said suddenly. “And eat on the ground with you.”

“Um, okay. Flowers are nice. Eating on the ground is odd, but if that’s what you want.”

He nodded with satisfaction. “Good. There, I have been romantic.”

Amusement filled her at how happy he was with himself. “You really can be sweet.”

“I am not sweet.” He looked deeply offended.

She patted his arm. “Sweet in a tough, savage, manly sort of way.”

“Hmph.”

“Wonder what’s taking them so long to find him?”

“Perhaps he has run?” Koran suggested.

“There isn’t anywhere he can go. He wouldn’t last long in the jungle.” There was a knock on the door and she strode over to open in. Unsurprisingly, Koran got there first and gestured to her to wait behind him.

She let him shield her. Not because she believed there was any danger, but because it made him feel good to protect her. And she liked making him feel good.

A member of security stood on the other side. “Ma’am?”

“Yes, Arthur?” He was one of the youngest members of security and at the moment, with his pale face and wide eyes, he looked even younger.

“You need to come with me.”

“Why? Did you find Greg?”

Arthur nodded frantically. “Uh-huh, and he’s dead.”

***

Koran wanted to shield his mate from the gruesome sight of the body swinging at the end of the rope. He could feel her distress through the bond. No one else would be able to tell, though. Her face and voice remained composed and calm.

“Do you think it was murder?” she asked the doctor, who was in attendance.

“How the fuck would I know? I’m no fucking coroner.”

Koran ground his teeth together in frustration. He’d love to get his hands around the foul-mouthed doctor’s neck.

Mila placed her hand on his arm. “Easy, big guy,” she whispered.

Immediately, he relaxed and the low growling noise he hadn’t realized he’d been emitting stopped.

The doctor stared at him without flinching. “But I would guess it was suicide.”

“There was a note,” another member of security stated. “It says he couldn’t live with the guilt of killing Sally. That it had been an accident. They were attempting asphyxiation and stuffed it up.”

Koran frowned. “I do not understand.”

“It’s done for pleasure,” Mila told him. “They intentionally restrict oxygen to the brain for the purposes of sexual arousal.”

And these humans thought Zerconians had strange customs?

“Not everyone likes it,” she added, looking at him warningly.

“Do not worry, that is something we will never do.”

“There are no defensive marks,” the doc said. “Nothing that looks suspicious. I will take him back to the lab, but I believe it will be ruled suicide.”

Mila nodded. “If you need me I’ll be in my quarters. Rick, can you update the ambassador?”

The security guard nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Koran, let’s go home.”

Mila wasn’t sure how her tired feet managed to drag her to her quarters, but she forced herself to put one foot in front of the other. She stumbled, tripping over nothing.

Koran reached out and drew her up into his arms, cradling her like a babe.

“I’m okay,” she murmured. “I can walk.”

“I can feel how tired you are, mate,” Koran told her. “You need to eat and rest.”

“No food. Too tired.”

“Food then sleep,” he replied firmly. “No arguments.”

She snorted. “You expect me just to obey, huh?”

“Yes. I was proud of you today. Although it was hard, I stood back and let you lead. This is your world. Your people. But when it comes to your care I am in charge.”

She glanced up at him. He had held back today. At times, she could feel how he’d wanted to take over but he hadn’t.

“Guess I’ll be relying on you heavily when I get to Zerconia.” It was something she both dreaded and looked forward to. She was used to a lot of responsibility. She worked hard and she was good at her job.

Being a kept woman was going to be an experience she would have to get used to. And yet she was excited to see where he lived, to making a home for herself, somewhere permanent.

“I’ve never had a real home. I moved around a lot as a kid and after I had graduated college, I followed Aline to different posts. Going to be weird to call one place home.”

They had reached her quarters by now and he set her down so she could open the door.

“You need to rest more. You work too much.”

“Guess I won’t have that problem on Zerconia. I’ll be sitting around twiddling my thumbs.”

“You would find that difficult.” He followed her inside.

“Never imagined I would be a housewife.”

“Would you like a job on Zerconia? I have an idea but I need to talk to Dex. Can you wait?”

Curious, she nodded. “Really? Well, I guess.”

“I will order us food. You take a bath.”

“All right. Thanks.” She kissed his cheek. “You take good care of me.” She walked towards the bedroom then turned. “Maybe you should go tell Darac. After all, he’s now a free man.”

“You do not mind?”

“Of course not. Darac must be going crazy locked up. Go tell him. I should have thought about it already. I will get Aline to have him released, but that probably won’t happen until morning. Still, he deserves to know now.”

Koran walked over and hugged her tight. “I will be quick. Ensure that you eat something understand?”

She smiled. “Yes, boss.”

***

“I am free?” Darac repeated.

Koran nodded. “My mate believes you will be out of this room by tomorrow. Once you are free, we will leave. I have no interest in staying on this planet.”

“No, nor I. Your mate?”

“Mila. She is my mate,” Koran said proudly.

“Congratulations,” Darac told him sincerely, although Koran could see the painful hunger in his gaze.

Darac needed his mate. He was getting closer to the edge and his incarceration hadn’t helped his condition.

“Mila will be coming with us then.”