Sweet Alien Savage (Zerconian Warriors Book 4) (8 page)

***

“Explain what happened,” Koran demanded, sitting across from Darac in the holding cell, which was actually just a room without any exterior walls. There was no need for a prison on Zazarn.

“I received a note. It was from Sally, or, at least, I thought it was, asking me to meet her in her quarters. When I got there, the door was ajar, so I walked in.”

“You knew her?”

“She has been preparing our meals. I have spoken to her a few times.”

Koran raised his eyebrows. “Enough to go to her room when summoned?”

“I thought it odd, Koran. But I did wonder if she needed my help. There were times when I noticed bruising on her body. She was very upset when I asked her about it. I thought someone might be hurting her and I told her if she ever needed help then she could come to me.”

Koran frowned. “Do you think she sent that note or that it was a set-up?”

“The body was cold when I arrived. It had been there for hours. I believe it was a set-up. Someone is framing me.”

“Why you?”

Darac shrugged. “Maybe Sally told them what I said to her? They chose me because I am an outsider?”

Koran paced back and forth.

“The investigation should show that she died hours ago.” Darac sat back with a sigh.

“Yes. But I do not know if that is enough to save you. Do you have an alibi?”

Darac stared at the opposite wall. “I have been having trouble holding onto my temper lately. I find myself set off by the smallest things.”

“But you did not do this. You could not.”

“No. But I spent the day alone. I did not trust myself to be around others.”

“Do not tell anyone that. It will be used against you. I will clear your name,” Koran promised.

Darac nodded. “I know that you will. What I do not know is if there is any point. I am close to the edge, Koran.”

“We will find your mate.” Koran squeezed his shoulder. He had lost friends to the mating madness and he would not lose any more.

***

“Do you suspect anyone?” Dex asked, pacing.

Koran shook his head. “No. I would need to investigate.”

“Will the ambassador allow you to do so?”

“I know not. She was ready to believe Darac guilty.” He couldn’t help but feel that this was his fault. That Aline was punishing him for rejecting her.

“I’ll send Rastian to you.”

The tall, morose lawyer might be helpful, but it would take him days to get here.

“Let me talk to the ambassador first. I will let you know.”

“Do that,” Dex replied grimly.

***

“Contact Commander Al’a,” Aline ordered Mila as they stepped into her office.

“It’s three in the morning, Aline. Couldn’t we deal with this tomorrow?”

There was nothing Mila wanted more than to crawl into bed and bawl her eyes out. Instead, she’d spent the last few hours with Aline, trying to get to the bottom of what had happened.

The Zazarn were extremely upset and had needed a great deal of soothing. They’d never experienced a murder and it had them in an uproar. Aline had assured them that they had the guilty party in custody and that they would be dealt with.

“You shouldn’t have told the High Chief that you had the murderer in custody, Aline.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s not guilty, that’s why!” Mila clenched her hands into fists as she glared at her sister.

“He was found standing over the body.”

“Sally, her name was Sally and you heard Doc Angus. She’d been dead for hours.”

“Perhaps he killed her somewhere else and moved her. Or he came back to check his kill.”

“I don’t believe it. I know Darac, he wouldn’t do that.”

“You’ve known him for a week, Mila. Don’t be naïve. Anyone is capable of killing if they’re motivated enough. Drink?” She held up the glass decanter filled with scotch.

Mila shook her head.

“Contact Commander Al’a. The sooner I do this, the better. If I don’t take control of this matter quickly, then I believe we are in danger of being told to leave.”

“You think the Zazarn will ask us to go?” Mila asked as she sent Koran a message.

“There has never been a murder in Zazarn history until we came along. Well, until those damn Zerconians arrived, and I’m the one who convinced the High Chief to allow them to come here. This all falls on me.”

“So what are you going to do?”

A knock on the door interrupted them. Mila stood and opened the door to allow Koran entrance.

“That was quick,” she commented.

“I was waiting for your call. How are you?”

Mila shrugged. “As well as can be expected, I suppose. How is Darac?”

“He is innocent.”

“I know. But is he all right? Has he had something to eat? I’ve been so busy; I didn’t make certain that he had food. I should go do that now.”

“He’s a prisoner, Mila,” Aline stated coldly. “He can eat when everyone else eats.”

“But Aline—”

“Darac is fine, Mila,” Koran interrupted. “He is a warrior.”

“What does being a warrior have to do with anything?”

“Warriors are strong. They do not feel fear or worry the way a female does.”

“Just because someone gets scared doesn’t make them weak.”

“Enough!” Aline slammed her hands down on her desk. “You two can chat about this in your own time. It’s been a long night and I want to go to bed.”

Koran nodded. “It is not necessary that Mila stay. She is pale and obviously exhausted. She should go to bed.”

“Hey! You’re not my boss, buddy.” She slapped his arm as she moved past him and sat back on the sofa.

Aline stood straight. “Commander Al’a, this will not take long. The Zazarn are very upset by what has occurred, as are my own people. I am afraid I can no longer offer hospitality to you and your men. Please prepare yourselves to leave within the next twenty-four hours.”

Mila gaped at Aline.

Koran crossed his arms over his chest. “You cannot expect us to leave. What about Darac?”

“Your warrior will remain here to face justice.”

“I will not leave him,” Koran glared at Aline. “We must be allowed to clear his name.”

“There is nothing to clear if he is guilty.”

“Yes, but innocent until proven guilty,” Mila stated. “You’re not judge, jury, and executioner, Aline.”

Her sister glared at her but Mila stood her ground.

“I allowed you to come here and conduct your investigations because I wanted to build a relationship between our two planets and this is how you treat my good will? By bringing a killer here?”

“Aline!” Mila said sharply.

“The Zazarn are upset. If I allow you and your men to stay it may only upset them more.”

She could be correct, but Mila knew Koran wasn’t going to budge. This could end up creating huge issues between Earth and Zerconia if it wasn’t handled properly.

“Aline, why don’t you give Koran time to investigate Sally’s murder. If he can’t find the murderer within, say, a week, then he and his men will eave.”

Koran opened his mouth and she held up her hand to quiet him. “Let me handle this, Koran.”

She ignored his look of shock.

“Aline, think about it. What if Darac didn’t murder Sally? That means you still have a killer on the loose. If they strike again, then the Zazarn are definitely going to ask us to leave. Then where will we be?”

Aline’s gaze grew thoughtful as she took another sip of scotch. “So what is your suggestion? I can’t let him run around asking questions. No one will talk to him anyway and how can I trust that he won’t frame someone else to save his own man?”

“I would not do that!” Koran’s voice was filled with outrage.

“I’ll help him,” Mila told her. Jesus, what was she saying? It was like her mouth had disconnected from her brain.

“I don’t know,” Aline said slowly.

“I do. It is not happening,” Koran stated.

She frowned at him. “People will talk to me, Aline. It makes sense. I want to know who killed Sally and I will make sure the investigation is conducted honestly.”

“Of course, it will be done honestly! You both insult me.”

“Oh, shh, Koran.”

“Did you just shh me?”

She glanced over at him. “Yes, I did. Too bad you don’t seem to understand what
shh
means.”

He frowned down at her, and she swallowed heavily when faced with all that anger even as her body tingled, longing to feel his touch. Why was she attracted to such an arrogant, temperamental male?

“What do you say, Aline?” she asked.

“Should you not ask me what I think?” Koran asked.

Aline was silent for a long moment. “If this Darac didn’t kill Sally then we need to know who did. You have one week. But the other Zerconians stay in their quarters. I don’t want them upsetting anyone. Mila, do you wish to have a guard?”

She shook her head. “I’ll be safe with Koran. You know that.” Mila couldn’t understand why Aline was being so hardheaded about this. Yes, the Zazarn were upset, but they could be reassured. And wasn’t the plan to get Koran on their side so that he’d put in a good word for her with the ruling Zerconian family?

“I do not wish to have Mila accompany me. It is too dangerous.”

Mila turned to Koran with an exasperated sigh. “I’m trying to help you out here, big guy, you wanna work with me?”

“It is not safe. You should assign someone else. A male.”

Mila tugged at her hair in frustration. Okay, she needed to calm down.

Bald would not be a good look for her.

“Urgh, just because I don’t have a dick doesn’t make me an idiot. I can take care of myself. Plus, there are few other people who have the access and knowledge of this compound that I do.”

“You could not protect yourself against someone looking to do you harm. You are small and delicate. You should be protected, not placed in danger. Ambassador, I demand that you assign someone else.”

Aline stared at her then Koran thoughtfully. “No. Mila is the only person I trust to do this. She will investigate with you or you will leave. Those are your choices.”

His eyes flashed red and Mila took in a sharp breath. “You place her at risk. That I cannot allow.”

“Not if your man is the killer,” Aline pointed out, taking another sip of scotch. “It’s Mila or nothing.”

He glared down at her.

“Is it so hard to spend time with me?” Mila asked, unable to help herself. But she couldn’t help but feel hurt by his reaction.

“You will be a distraction. I will be worried over your safety the entire time. You must promise to follow my lead and obey my orders.”

“Hmm, let me think about that.” She counted to ten to cool her temper. “Nope, not going to happen.”

A tic developed in his cheek. “I will be in charge of your protection. You will obey me or the deal is off.”

“Seriously? You’d leave Darac out to dry just because you’re not getting your own way?”

He looked puzzled. “Darac is not wet. Unless you engage water torture for prisoners?”

She sighed. “No. I just meant that you would let Darac take the blame just because I won’t jump when you say jump?”

“I was not talking about exercise but safety.
Your
safety. Which is of the utmost importance. Darac would understand that.”

Mila had no idea why he had his pants in a twist over her safety, but she could tell he wasn’t about to budge on this. As much as it galled her to agree to his demands over safety, she could tell he was going to be stubborn about this. Darac needed her and she wouldn’t let him down.

“Fine, but I’m only going to listen to you when it comes to safety. Nothing else.”

“Obey. Not listen.”

She growled. “Fine, obey.”

“Good.” He nodded with satisfaction.

“But you’ll have to take direction from me when it comes to talking to people. They won’t talk to you if start growling and throwing your weight around.”

“I did not intend to throw anyone.”

She sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “Why me?”

He looked up at the ceiling. “Who are you talking to?”

“God. The fates. Anyone who will listen, quite frankly. I want to know what I ever did to deserve you.”

“Oh God, I so see it now. It’s you.” Aline laughed as they turned to her in confusion. “Classic. Priceless. You rejected me because of her.
Her
.”

“What is she talking about?” Mila asked him. “You rejected her?”

“He did. Can you believe it?” Aline said with a smirk as she poured herself another scotch.

Mila resisted the urge to suggest that she’d had enough to drink. Instead, she turned to look up at Koran.