Janaya (7 page)

He took a sip of coffee and regarded his father with trepidation. How did he get rid of him without making his father suspicious? “You coming back to work, or are you heading off again?”

“Might hang around for a bit,” his father said, taking the seat at the table next to Hinekiri. His gaze wandered off Luke to touch on Hinekiri and lingered. “I promised to show Hinekiri some of the sights.”

A mouthful of coffee sprayed from Luke’s mouth, hitting the table and both Hinekiri and his father.

“What the hell’s wrong with you today?” his father roared, leaping to his feet.

“Sorry,” Luke said, grabbing a towel. He offered it to Hinekiri who smiled.

“I think Luke’s a little shook up about the aliens in town,” Hinekiri said.

Luke speared her with a glare but it didn’t dampen the mischief in her violet eyes. No wonder Janaya looked ready to commit bodily harm to her aunt at times.

“Load of hog wash,” his father snapped. “Probably some fool kids egging each other on. It is almost the end of the school year.”

“Okay,” Luke said, thinking rapidly. “How about you going off to investigate the crop circles and I’ll go and sort out things at the station? I can drop off Hinekiri and Janaya on my way.”

“Sounds good to me,” Hinekiri chirped.

Luke frowned. The woman looked as angelic as a kid about to stuff a big, black weta into the teacher’s desk. The prehistoric grasshopper-like insects had really put a scare in the girls when he’d been at school. Hinekiri had the exact expression of a prank-setting boy. He absolutely refused to let her go off with his father. He looked to Janaya. She could keep her aunt under control.

“But what about our sightseeing?” his father asked.

“I really need to sort out…some things first,” Hinekiri said.

To Luke’s relief she kept things suitably vague. “Right.” He placed his cup of coffee down on the bench. “Let’s go.”

They exited the house via the kitchen door before his father could muster an argument. Luke held the rear door of his vehicle open for Hinekiri then opened the door for Janaya. He was unable to resist the urge to run his hand over the rounded cheeks of her ass. His cock stirred with a joyful tallyho. God, he thought with real sorrow when he shut the door. He could be in bed with her instead of chasing fictitious aliens. They’d barely started their erotic journey. And since she was leaving soon, there was no time to waste.

“I don’t like the sound of the strangers hanging around,” Janaya stated the instant Luke climbed behind the wheel. Her body felt pleasantly relaxed, as if she’d had a session at Dalcon’s Refurbishment Club. Blood and enthusiasm zinged through her veins in a way it hadn’t for a long time.

“It’s probably— How the hell do you know there were reports of strangers hanging around? I never said anything. Tony told me during the phone call.”

“She has powers,” Hinekiri chirped from the rear seat.

“What sort of powers?” Luke gritted out. Janaya noticed the way his hands gripped the driving wheel, the way his jaw tightened. Heck, she could even hear his teeth grate backward and forward.

“I—”

“She’s learning them as she goes along,” Hinekiri offered.

Silence fell. Luke jerked the gear controls and the vehicle shuddered before driving smoothly. Finally, he took a deep breath and glanced at her.

“Do you mean to tell me that you have supernatural powers? You can do more than fly? New supernatural powers that you have no control over?”

“No, I—”

“That’s right,” Hinekiri said. “And it wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t tried to interfere.”

“Will you let me speak?” Anger coursed through Janaya’s body. Hinekiri was so stubborn. The information that had surfaced on Dalcon came from a reliable source. If she’d had longer, Janaya would have extracted the truth from her informant, but with her aunt’s departure imminent, she’d run out of time. And that had made her nervous. Janaya sent a glower at her aunt, trying to glare her into submission. Instead, a fierce heat collected behind her eyes. Janaya squinted, seeing a bright violet light in front of her eyes. The light grew brighter. She blinked. Thin rays of violet shot from her eyes.

Hinekiri screamed.

Luke swore.

The vehicle swerved then ground to an abrupt halt.

Janaya gaped at the huge hole in the rear seat—right next to her aunt. Smoke wafted upward and a noxious odor filled the vehicle. Horror bled into trembling. She’d almost done the assassins’ work for them.

“Sorry,” she whispered, unable to look her aunt square in the face.

Looking at Luke was just as difficult. There was a huge hole in the rear of his vehicle. The road was visible through what had once been a perfectly good seat. Janaya thought about the number of credits in her safe box. Probably not enough to purchase a new seat for Luke.

“If you want to damage something, try the purple aliens outside. Any time now would be good.”

The urgency in Luke’s voice made her head jerk around. Three Torgon assassins stood in the middle of the road, their weapons extended in front of them. Janaya opened the door.

“Seat belt,” Hinekiri said.

A metallic clang indicated she’d released the harness while she issued the reminder.

Janaya heard her aunt lean forward to peer between the front seats. “Do you have your weapon?”

“I don’t think she needs a weapon,” Luke countered in a dry voice. “Just do that weird eye thing again and they’ll run for the hills.”

“I’m not sure I can.” Janaya didn’t take her gaze off the Torgon. She slid from the Land Cruiser. “There’s someone coming.”

“Hell.” Luke gunned the engine. “Do something. Quick.”

Luke’s panic beat at her mind, distracting her for an instant. One of the Torgon fired. The shot singed the top of her head.

Janaya yelped. She heard the hoarse, grating laughter of the Torgon and the rapid clicks as they communicated their glee and their plan of attack. By the sword, what was she going to do? She had no weapon. Another bodyguard rule she’d broken. But she’d been so rattled by what had happened last night with Luke she’d forgotten to pick up her weapon. Unfortunately, her mistake would get an innocent Earthman killed. And who knew what they’d do to Hinekiri to force her to give them her precious exploration charts.

The rattle of the approaching vehicle sounded louder now. As was the voice of the man who muttered under his breath. “It’s your father,” she said in horror.

“Bloody hell.” Luke pulled a gun from his glove box. He released his seat belt. “I’m not sitting here waiting for you to do something.”

Fury ignited inside Janaya and she directed it at the impossible Earthman who was forever trying to order her about. His pretty face and his sexual prowess didn’t mean he could walk all over her. She was a bodyguard in the Imperial force.

Her aunt gasped. “Don’t look at Luke!” she shrieked. “Aim at the Torgon.”

Even as her aunt gave the warning, Janaya felt intense heat building up behind her eyes.

Luke fired his gun.

Purple light filled her eyes, making everything shine with a lavender haze. Panic struck. She was still looking at Luke. Concentrate. Dammit, she was going to kill him if she wasn’t careful. And hellfire, she wasn’t done with appeasing her appetite!

Hinekiri pointed. “Janaya. Over there.”

Everything moved in slow motion—the approaching vehicle, Luke shooting at the Torgon, her aunt’s frenzied hand movements. Then Hinekiri slapped her hard on the side of her face. Her head jerked toward the group of Torgon. Fury galloped through her mind, pressure built and suddenly purple light shot from her eyes in a concentrated beam.

“It’s a strike,” Hinekiri roared behind her as one Torgon burned down to a pile of ash.

Beside her, Luke fired again. The projectile from his weapon caught a Torgon right between the eyes. He exploded like a hot ball fish, spraying purple gunk the distance of two bodies lined end to end.

“Yes!” Hinekiri crowed, punching her fist in the air. “Get the last one, Janaya.”

Janaya concentrated, channeling her anger at the attack. When the heat developed behind her eyes and the purple light returned she knew she’d managed it by herself without Hinekiri or Luke. She focused her eyes, shot. And missed.

“Where’d he go?” Luke demanded.

“Into hypermode back to wherever they left their ship. They never hunt alone, always in packs,” Janaya said in disgust. Ready to attack another day.

“Great.”
We’re going to have purple aliens popping out of the woodwork.

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Janaya said.

“What?”

Janaya froze. He hadn’t said that aloud. “Aunt?” Clear panic sizzled through her voice and she didn’t mind admitting to the emotion. How was it possible she could read his mind?

“The two of you mated last night?” Hinekiri made it a question.

Luke stared at her in silent accusation. “If you mean had sex, then yes, we did. What else aren’t you telling me? I’d rather know it all up front so I can protect the people of Sloan. I don’t want any more nasty surprises today. Two are enough.”

Hinekiri’s teasing grin smoothed out to concern on seeing Luke’s apprehension. Janaya didn’t blame him for his snappy questions. Quite frankly, she wanted to get her aunt alone. She’d commit the physical damage she constantly threatened. And then she’d turn her over to the Torgon. Hinekiri had never mentioned a word of any of the possible symptoms when she’d discovered her presence on board ship.

“I’ve never heard of a Dalconian imprinting on an Earthman before,” Hinekiri said. “I can give you a broad idea of what to expect, but then again, I might be wrong.”

“What’s the worst that can happen?” Luke demanded.

Janaya lifted her head to stare in the direction they’d come from. “Your father will arrive in a few minutes.”

“Quick. Before Dad arrives.”

“The bond will become stronger each time you join. Dalconians mate for life,” Hinekiri murmured.

“Okay.” Luke closed his eyes, an almost pained look skipping across his face. “We won’t have sex again. We’ll keep away from each other.”

Janaya thought of how beautiful the sex had been the previous night. How connected she’d felt to Luke. It had been nothing like servicing Santana. The thought of never feeling the slide of Luke’s mouth against her naked skin again made her want to cry.

Chapter Five

Luke’s father braked and pulled along beside them. “Is there a problem?”

“No problem,” Luke said. But although his voice remained even and controlled, Janaya read myriad emotions on his face. Irritation. Distrust. Regret.

It was the regret that stirred her answering response.

Killer jumped from the passenger seat onto Luke’s father’s lap and stuck her head out the driver’s window. “Did ya bring any food?”

“I hope you don’t mind me taking out your dog. She jumped in while I wasn’t looking and I didn’t have the heart to leave her at home.”

Janaya leaned closer to Killer and scratched her behind the ears. With a soft growl, she told Killer to protect Luke’s father.

“Woof!” Killer swiped a pink tongue across Janaya’s face. “Will ya give me food?”

She laughed. “It’s a deal.”

Luke’s father shook his head. “I don’t know why you’re talking to Killer as though she can understand. Well, if you’re sure that you’re fine, then I’m off to the wheat fields.”

He drove off, leaving an uneasy silence behind.

“How come I can understand the dog and Dad can’t? The sex thing?”

Janaya glanced at Hinekiri and then back at Luke. “It’s because I imprinted on you when I saw you. Somehow you’ve acquired some of my powers.”

“But not all of them.”

“No.”

“Great.” Luke jerked his head at the dead Torgon ashes. “At least Dad didn’t notice the debris. Get in. Tony, my second-in-command, will be tearing his hair out by now if he’s dealing with Mrs. Bates.”

She nodded and climbed back into the vehicle. They drove along in silence, Janaya staring straight ahead. Part of her longed for the old days when the worst she needed to cope with was kicking bad guys in the butt. This situation with Luke was messy because they’d talked. They’d had fun together. Emotions had raised their ugly antennas. A frown puckered her brow. She couldn’t remember anything like this happening before, especially not with Santana. They didn’t see each other much and that seemed to work best.

“Hinekiri and I will find alternative accommodations,” Janaya said. “We can return to the ship.”

“No!” Hinekiri screeched from the rear.

“Over my dead body,” Luke snarled. “I’m keeping you in my sight so no one gets hurt.”

Janaya sucked in a calming breath and forced away the sudden vision of her being in his sight. The idea of being crushed in his embrace… And this licking business he’d introduced her to—she craved more. Her body heated and she found herself fidgeting and squirming on the leather seat. Janaya glanced at him. The solid, clenched jaw jerked her back to reality. She’d stayed in his vicinity last night and now look at the mess.

“But we can get the ship mended and leave quickly if you’d let us,” she argued.

“I’m not going to squabble about it. I’ll lock you up if necessary.”

“Sounds kinky. Do you think your father has handcuffs?” Hinekiri asked.

“No!” Janaya said, jerking around to glare at her aunt in the backseat. “You stay away from Luke’s father. Luke has enough problems as it is.” Janaya cursed under her breath. Her instincts had been right. Hinekiri was interested in Luke’s father. No telling how stubborn she’d be about leaving. She was still muttering about seeing the phrullin wildebeest creatures in some place called Africa. Why she’d want to see a weird gnu run from point A to point B, Janaya had no idea.

“We’re here,” Luke said with clear relief in his husky voice. He turned the vehicle right into a wide street flanked by shady trees and colorful gardens. He waved at the drivers of each car they passed before turning left into a narrow road and coasting to a stop in a graveled parking area outside a brick building.

“Stay with me and don’t talk to anyone.” Without another word, he climbed out of the vehicle and waited impatiently for them to follow.