Finn: Scifi Alien Invasion Romance (Hell Squad Book 10) (17 page)

General Holmes and Nikolai stepped forward.

“Welcome home,” the general said with a smile.

“And congratulations,” Niko added.

Finn slid his arm around Lia’s shoulders. “Thank you. I’d say it was a piece of cake, but—” he grimaced “—it really wasn’t.”

“Elle reported that you got away under heavy alien attack,” Holmes said.

Finn shared a glance with Marcus. “That’s one way to describe it.”

There was a light laugh from the crowd.

“We tracked you out over the ocean, but after you went supersonic, we lost you,” Holmes added.

“After evading a few pteros, we made it to supersonic speed, and out to the drop zone,” Lia said. “Then I’m not sure you’ll believe what happened next.”

“We were attacked by an alien sea creature,” Finn said.

Gasps came from the crowd. Finn saw some kids in the front edging forward, their eyes wide.

“The same creature that attacked us at Sydney Airport?” Marcus asked. “The thing was pretty keen on taking a bite out of Shaw.”

From behind Marcus, the sniper grinned. “It changed its mind.”

“Because you’re an acquired taste,” Claudia said from beside him.

“It was worse than that animal,” Lia said. She leaned into Finn’s side a little more. “It was…a kraken, for lack of a better name. A giant, black-scaled, alien kraken. It was enormous, with loads of tentacles. Terrifying.”

A hush fell over the room.

“That’s not good.” Holmes frowned. “We’ll add it to our database of alien animals along with the gorilla-like creatures you and Hell Squad encountered at Aeron. We’ll need you to share everything you know about it—”

“But not now,” Niko added. “You deserve some rest. I believe the kitchen is preparing a celebratory feast for you.”

“Great,” Finn said.

“But before you go anywhere, we’re going to attempt our first call through to Groom Lake.” Excited titters went through the crowd. “Our comms are lighting up with calls coming in from all over the world.” With a flourish, Niko waved to a large screen on the wall.

The screen flickered, then filled with an image of an older, elegant-looking, African-American woman dressed in a black uniform.

The woman smiled. “Hello from Groom Lake Base, Nevada. My name is Major General Michaela Marshall. We’re talking to you over a secure and stable comm line. We wanted to thank you for your excellent work in reestablishing communications.”

Cheers went up from the crowd.

Finn grinned down at Lia. “Pretty cool, huh?” She smiled back.

From the line of busy comms officers working at the comp stations, Elle turned around. “We’re starting to make contact with survivor bases and havens across the world. Both large and small.”

From beside Elle, a rare smile crossed Holmes’ face. “I have a person on the line who wants to talk to you, Finn.”

Another face flicked up on a second screen, and Finn froze.

“Oh, my God,” Lia breathed. Her hands clenched on his arm.

Finn stared at the screen. At his brother’s face. “Alexander?”

“Hello, bro. Heard you’ve been busy saving the world.” Emotion crossed the man’s face. A face so similar to Finn’s. “I am really glad to see you.”

Finn took a step toward the screen. “Leif? Brit? Mom and Dad, and the kids? Everyone’s okay?”

Suddenly, other people crowded around Finn’s brother, trying to get on camera. Finn stared into their faces in disbelief. His parents, his sister and brother, niece and nephew. They all exploded in excited chatter, and Finn’s chest was so tight, so full to bursting, he could barely speak.

Lia squeezed Finn’s hand and for him, in that moment, nothing could’ve been better.

***

Lia hurried through the corridors, on her way to meet Finn. They’d survived a dinner where she was sure every man, woman, and child in the Enclave had stopped by their table, wanting to check on them, hear about the mission, and learn more about the kraken.

Afterward, Finn had spoken privately with his family. She was so damn happy for him. She tried to imagine what it must feel like to know that your family was alive. She tried to imagine finding out her mother and sister were alive.

Wonderful, of course. But she knew, deep in her heart, her mother and sister wouldn’t have survived the alien apocalypse or been able to cope with what life was like now.

“I love you, mom,” she murmured to herself. “And Melinda, I miss you every day. But I’ve met a man.” Lia knew her sister would’ve been thrilled for her.

Finn had left Lia a cryptic message to meet him in the flight simulation room. When she reached the door, she pushed it open and found him standing beside the comps and seats. The screens were on and blinking.

“How was your family?” she asked.

“Great.” His grin was wide. “Still in our hometown, sick of eating fish. But they’re fine. I guess the Gizzida don’t like the cold and snow much.”

“That’s great news, Finn.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. “I’m so pleased for you.”

He hugged her back. “If I got any happier right now, I’d burst.”

She lifted her head. “Now, what was so important that you had to drag me down here?”

He waved at the simulators. “It’s all set up. Two sims—one drone, one Hawk.”

The same way everything had started between them.

“Oh?” Lia raised an eyebrow. “You want a rematch?”

“Yes. Winner gets the prize.” He waved at the nearest seat.

She slid into the chair, getting comfortable. “And what does the winner get?”

“Whatever they want most,” Finn answered.

Lia stared up at his gorgeous face. “I already have that.”

His gaze softened. He leaned down and cupped her cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” The words flowed from her easily. The truth of her heart. She leaned up and kissed him.

Finn pulled back and settled in his seat, tapping on the controls.

“So, I’m going to win this time,” Lia said. “But what do you want if you win?” She touched her controls.

“I want you to marry me.”

Her fingers stilled. She slowly turned her head. This handsome, brave, talented man wanted to marry her?

Now she felt so happy she could float up into the sky. She smiled. “Guess I’ll have to purposely lose again.”

His eyes widened. “Again? You mean that the other time—?”

She pressed her tongue to her teeth. “Come on, flyboy. Show me what you’ve got.”

Lia settled back at the controls, with Finn’s sexy laugh ringing in her ears.

---

I hope you enjoyed Finn and Lia’s story!

Hell Squad continues with DEVLIN. See how super-spy, Devlin Gray, and Squad Nine soldier, Taylor Cates, escape alien captivity. Coming December 2016.

If you’re looking for more action-packed, science fiction romance, then read on for a preview of
Among Galactic Ruins
, the first book in the Phoenix Adventures.

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Preview: Among Galactic Ruins

As the descending starship hit turbulence, Dr. Alexa Carter gasped, her stomach jumping.

But she didn’t feel sick, she felt
exhilarated
.

She stared out the window at the sand dunes of the planet below. Zerzura. The legendary planet packed with danger, mystery and history.

She was
finally
here. All she could see was sand dune, after yellow sand dune, all the way off into the distance. The dual suns hung in the sky, big and full—one gold and one red—baking the ground below.

But there was more to Zerzura than that. She knew, from all her extensive history training as an astro-archeologist, that the planet was covered in ruins—some old and others beyond ancient. She knew every single one of the myths and legends.

She glanced down at her lap and clutched the Sync communicator she was holding. Right here she had her ticket to finding an ancient Terran treasure.

Lexa thumbed the screen. She’d found the slim, ancient vase in the museum archives and initially thought nothing of the lovely etchings of priestesses on the side of it.

Until she’d finished translating the obscure text.

She’d been gobsmacked when she realized the text gave her clues that not only formed a map, but also described what the treasure was at the end. A famed Fabergé egg.

Excitement zapped like electricity through her veins. After a career spent mostly in the Galactic Institute of Historical Preservation and on a few boring digs in the central systems, she was now the curator of the Darend Museum on Zeta Volantis—a private and well-funded museum that was mostly just a place for her wealthy patron, Marius Darend, to house his extensive, private collection of invaluable artifacts from around the galaxy.

But like most in the galaxy, he had a special obsession with old Earth artifacts. When she’d gone to him with the map and proposal to go on a treasure hunt to Zerzura to recover it, he’d been more than happy to fund it.

So here she was, Dr. Alexa Carter, on a treasure hunt.

Her father, of course, had almost had a coronary when she’d told her parents she’d be gone for several weeks. That familiar hard feeling invaded her belly. Baron Carter did not like his only daughter working, let alone being an astro-archeologist, and he
really
didn’t like her going to a planet like Zerzura. He’d ranted about wild chases and wastes of time, and predicted her failure.

She straightened in her seat. She’d been ignoring her father’s disapproval for years. When she had the egg in her hands, then he’d have to swallow his words.

Someone leaned over her, a broad shoulder brushing hers. “Strap in, Princess, we’re about to land.”

Lexa’s excitement deflated a little. There was just one fly in her med gel.

Unfortunately, Marius had insisted she bring along the museum’s new head of security. She didn’t know much about Damon Malik, but she knew she didn’t like him. The rumor among the museum staff was that he had a super-secret military background.

She looked at him now, all long, and lean and dark. He had hair as black as her own, but skin far darker. She couldn’t see him in the military. His manner was too…well, she wasn’t sure what, exactly, but he certainly didn’t seem the type to happily take orders.

No, he preferred to be the one giving them.

He shot her a small smile, but it didn’t reach his dark eyes. Those midnight-blue eyes were always…intense. Piercing. Like he was assessing everything, calculating. She found it unsettling.

“I’m already strapped in, Mr. Malik.” She tugged on her harness and raised a brow.

“Just checking. I’m here to make sure you don’t get hurt on this little escapade.”

“Escapade?” She bit her tongue and counted to ten. “We have a map leading to the location of a very valuable artifact. That’s hardly an escapade.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Princess.” He shot a glance at the window and the unforgiving desert below. “This is a foolish risk for some silly egg.”

She huffed out a breath. Infuriating man. “Why get a job at a museum if you think artifacts are silly?”

He leaned back in his seat. “Because I needed a change. One where no one tried to kill me.”

Kill him? She narrowed her eyes and wondered again just what the hell he’d done before he’d arrived at the Darend.

A chime sounded and the pilot’s voice filtered into the plush cabin of Marius’ starship. “Landing at Kharga spaceport in three minutes. Hang on, ladies and gentlemen.”

Excitement filled Lexa’s belly. Ignoring the man beside her, she looked out the window again.

The town of Kharga was visible now. They flew directly over it, and she marveled at the primitive look and the rough architecture. The buildings were made of stone—some simple squares, others with domed roofs, and some a haphazard sprawl of both. In the dirt-lined streets, ragged beasts were led by robed locals, and battered desert speeders flew in every direction, hovering off the ground.