Naura (3 page)

Chapter Five

Hauke paced the length of his bedroom, ignoring Abbie’s attempt at calming him. “I will throw Naura in the dungeon when I get my hands on her.”

“Keep your voice down. Arcanum is finally sleeping,” Abbie scolded in a soft tone.

“I am sorry, soul of my soul, but I fear you do not understand the ramifications of such insolence. Father will punish her severely.”

Abbie came around the bed and wrapped her arms around his waist, effectively stopping his pacing. “Then he must never find out.”

Hauke pulled back enough to study his mate’s beautiful face. “How do you propose we prevent him from learning of her departure?”

“You and I will go to Cuba to trade. We will leave word that Naura has gone with us.”

“Have you lost your wits, my love? He is the king of Aukrabah, not merely my father. If he found out that we covered up her escape, he would be forced to punish us as well. And I would never allow you to be whipped.”

Abbie softly smiled. “He is not going to have me whipped, Hauke. We have an understanding of sorts.”

Hauke wasn’t so sure. “You underestimate his graciousness when it comes to you and Arcanum. The safety of the Bracadyte comes first. He must uphold our laws in everything, else Aukrabah will become weak and eventually fall.”

“I understand, Hauke. But Naura is already gone. There is nothing we can do about that, aside from doing what we can to keep her absence hidden until she returns.”

He pulled her to him and tucked her head beneath his chin. “What if she does not return?”

“She will. She’s with Vaulcron and Uncle Tony. I trust them both with her life.”

“It is not them that I do not trust, my mate. It is my sister. She does not understand the ways of the land walkers. Your uncle and my brother will have their hands full with rescuing Henry. Naura will be as much of a challenge as having Arcanum in tow.”

Abbie sighed and snuggled closer against him. “What do you suggest we do?”

“I am returning to the surface. Alone.”

“What?” Abbie pulled free of his embrace and crossed her arms over her chest. “Not without me.”

“Our son needs you, Abbie.”

“And we both need
you
, Hauke. You said we would never be separated again. What if something happens to you up there?”

His resolve slipped with the fear in her eyes. “I will give them two moons to return with your father. If they are not back by then, I am going after them.”

“But— ”

“I will not budge on this.”

“We’ll see,” Abbie mumbled as she moved to step around him. “I must check on Arcanum.”

Hauke watched her go with a heavy heart. He hated any form of discord when it came to Abbie. But there was far too much danger on the surface to take her with him. He couldn’t— No, he
wouldn’t
risk her life ever again.

* * * *

Harold Newman entered Winchester Industries, barely sparing a glance at the guard sitting behind a desk near the front entrance. “Willie,” he murmured with a nod on his way to the elevator.

“Mr. Winchester, sir,” Willie called out to Harold’s retreating back.

The elevator opened with a
ding
, and Harold quickly stepped inside, watching as Willie’s face disappeared with the closing of the doors.

It wasn’t that Harold didn’t like the guard. On the contrary. Willie just talked a bit too much for Harold’s liking. Ninety percent of the gossip that floated throughout the lab seemed to stem from the overly jolly guard.

The elevator came to a stop on the third floor, and Newman strode off toward his corner office.

He stopped next to his secretary’s desk and cleared his throat. “Hi, Sally. I have an interview in a few minutes with Mallory Cahill. Please see that we’re not disturbed.”

“Yes, sir,” Sally responded with a smile. “Your wife called earlier. She wants you to pick up the dry cleaning on your way home this evening.”

“Thanks, Sally.” Unlocking his office door, he breezed inside and set his briefcase on the floor next to his desk.

Newman dreaded the interview with Cahill. She’d landed the nickname t
he Great White
, due to her ability to always get the story. And most of those stories revolved around political scandals.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, recalling the conversation he’d had with Glenn Anderson, the leader of the military group that had captured Hauke and Abbie, last year. “
Do what most shark hunters do—dangle some bait beneath her nose until she’s hooked and then mount her head on your wall for all I care. Just keep her under control.”

Keeping her under control, Newman guessed, would not be an easy feat to accomplish. He took a seat behind his desk.

The light on his phone lit up, pulling him out of his musings. He pressed the intercom button. “Yes, Sally?”

“Mallory Cahill is here to see you.”

“Send her in.”

Harold stood as the door opened, admitting the beautiful reporter of every man’s nightmares.

She wore a dark gray skirt that rested a few inches above her knees and a white button-down top that showed a hint of cleavage. Her blonde hair hung loose around her shoulders, and her incredible blue eyes sparkled with determination as she stepped into the room.

“Mr. Newman,” the reporter acknowledged, approaching his desk with her hand out.

He accepted her outstretched palm. “Miss. Cahill. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please, have a seat.”

“Thank you.” She sat and crossed her shapely legs before pinning him with a serious stare. “Mind if we skip the formalities and cut to the chase? I have a meeting across town in less than an hour.”

Oh, Harold could definitely understand how she’d earned her nickname. “Absolutely. What would you like to know?”

“You were the one that took in the alien that was found on the beach, were you not?”

Newman couldn’t help but be impressed with her straightforwardness, as unwelcome as it was. He reached beneath his desk to adjust his growing erection. “We stored it at the lab until a crew from Area 51 could arrive.”

“But that didn’t happen.” She flipped open a small notepad. “An ex-employee of yours somehow managed to escape with the creature, leading the military on a nonproductive chase across the county, only to disappear and remain hidden for over a year. Does that about sum it up?”

Harold shifted in his chair in an attempt to relieve the uncomfortable swell behind his zipper. “Somewhat,” he murmured, dropping his gaze to her full, pink lips.

“Tell me about the virus,” she prompted. “How is it that it’s managed to spread through hundreds of communities, killing thousands, and yet this Abbigail Sutherland is unaffected?”

That brought him out of his lustful thoughts. “We’re not sure how she’s immune while others aren’t. If we could locate her, I feel certain that we would uncover the answers that so many seek.”

“If one of these
things
washed up on the beach, surely there must be more of them out there,” she continued, flipping through her notepad. “Did the alien have reproductive organs?”

Newman nearly swallowed his tongue. He hadn’t expected such a bold line of questioning. “Pardon?”

“It is a reasonable question, Mr. Newman. Perhaps I should rephrase it for you. Did the creature possess a penis?”

Harold’s face grew hot and not only from embarrassment. He had at least thirty minutes longer to spend under Miss. Cahill’s scrutiny. How on earth was he expected to remain aloof while she interrogated him with the efficiency of a general?

“Yes. He had reproductive organs.”

Her eyes lit up with his response. She suddenly closed her notepad and stood. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Newman. If I have any further questions, I’ll be in touch.”

His mouth fell open. She’d just shut him down as if he were as insignificant as a bug. He could only watch in stunned silence as she breezed from the room, leaving the door open behind her.

Chapter Six

Tony finished loading ammunition into his weapons and switched off the television. His stomach had been growling for the past hour without ceasing. In fact, he couldn’t recall the last time he’d eaten.

He holstered the gun he held and wandered into the kitchen for a bite to eat.

The half-eaten bag of chips that Naura had abandoned lay open on the table where she’d left them earlier.

She hadn’t eaten anything else, he noticed, rolling up the bag and moving it to the counter. She needed to eat if she hoped to make the swim back to Aukrabah in the morning.

Opening the refrigerator, Tony pulled out the makings of a sandwich, wondering if she preferred ham or turkey. He settled on the latter.

Five minutes later, he wrapped up the sandwich and grabbed the bag of chips and a bottled water before making his way down the hall to her room.

He tapped lightly on her door. “Naura?”

When no answer came, he tried again. “I’m coming in.”

Tony gently twisted the knob and eased the door open. He nearly swallowed his tongue when Naura’s nude frame came into view.

She lay across the bed on her stomach with one knee slightly bent and her long dark hair covering half of her face.

Tony knew he should turn and go, but he couldn’t seem to make his feet work.

His gaze traveled over her shoulders and down her back. Her amazing ass possessed two tiny dimples at the top near the small of her back, and her legs were long and muscular. He’d never seen a creature more perfect in all his life.

Inching forward, he set the food on the dresser, forcing his gaze elsewhere—anywhere but in the direction of that damn bed.

He turned to go.

“Tony?” Naura’s voice was a kick to his already tightened gut.

He stilled, afraid to move, yet afraid not to. “I brought you some food. You need to eat as much as you can. You never know what could happen, and if we have to run in the middle of the night, there’s no telling how long it will be before we eat again.”

Realizing he was rambling, he shut his mouth and reached for the doorknob.

“Wait,” Naura whispered, stopping him in his tracks.

She was suddenly there between him and the door. “Do not go.”

Tony forced himself to stare into her eyes, preventing his gaze from dropping to her full breasts. “Don’t do this,” he growled, reaching around her for the door.

“Why do you insist on running from me?”

He took a deep breath, which only made matters worse as her unique scent mixed with strawberries traveled up his nose and straight to his rapidly growing erection.

“I am not running from you,” he bit out. “I’m just not interested in what you are offering.”

Hurt flashed in her eyes before she glanced down at the obvious bulge in his pants. “Your body says otherwise.”

“Look, little girl. I don’t know how things are done in your world, but you’re now in mine, and I’m sure as hell not a Bracadyte. I’m not capable of what you want. I don’t do flowers and pretty words. Now move aside, or I’ll move you myself.”

He stepped around her and gripped the doorknob, leaving her no choice but to do as he demanded.

“Tony? I—”

“And stay out of my damn head. I have enough going on in there without you sifting through my thoughts.” He quickly escaped into the hall.

The woman was exasperating, he thought as he made his way back to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. She was completely guileless, naive, and obviously possessed no shame.

Not that he didn’t appreciate some of those qualities in a person. He did. Only not when it came to Naura.

For the life of him, he couldn’t understand why she affected him so. She was a Bracadyte. An alien creature with gills, pointed ears, fangs, and poisonous barbs on her wrists and ankles. But her eyes…

Tony forced his thoughts away from Vaulcron’s sister and took a bite of the sandwich he’d just finished making. He would shower and try to sleep…as much as the nightmares would allow.

The dreams seemed to be worsening lately, becoming more intense, more clear. The blood flowed a brighter red, the screams grew louder and longer.

He shuddered and stared at the half-eaten sandwich in his hand. Nausea rolled through him as it always did in unguarded moments when his memories invaded.

“You’re losing it,” he muttered aloud, tossing his uneaten sandwich in the trash before stripping out of his T-shirt and trailing off to the bathroom for a much needed shower.

Tomorrow, he and Vaulcron would scope out the situation at the lab and somehow find a way to notify Henry of their presence while keeping their heads intact in the process.

* * * *

Vaulcron stared up at the ceiling, listening as Tony shut the bathroom door and switched on the shower. He rolled out of bed and padded across to his sister’s room before cracking the door open about an inch. “Cover yourself. I am coming inside.”

Waiting a beat to give her time to dress, he pushed the door wide and strolled in without further ado.

Naura sat in bed, propped up against the headboard, wearing a human nightgown. He stopped at the foot of the bed and raised an eyebrow. “What are you attempting to prove with Abbie’s uncle?”

“Prove?” she shot back. “I am unsure of your meaning.”

“You know very well what I am referring to. You practically threw yourself at him earlier.”

She eased her legs over the side of the bed and stood. “I did not throw myself at him. I merely wanted him to admit his feelings for me. I know he has them, brother. I have sensed them before.”

Vaulcron’s softened his tone. His sister’s innocence astounded him at times. “He is a land walker, Naura. You cannot approach them as you would a Bracadyte. They do not respond well to straightforwardness.”

“Then what
do
they respond to?”

“What I have observed from my time with Miquel is that human men prefer to hunt and chase their prey, not have it handed to them. Do you understand?”

She nodded. “I think so. But that will never work with Tony. He is trapped inside his own mind. I am not certain if he fears reality or merely chooses not to face it.”

Vaulcron marched around to the side of the bed and touched his sister’s sweet face. “I am asking you to leave him be, Naura. He is not for you. Father would never approve.”

“But Abbie and Hauke—”

“Live in Aukrabah,” he finished for her. “Do you believe for one minute that Tony would agree to such terms?”

Tears sparkled in her eyes and tugged at Vaulcron’s heart. “Do not cry, my sister. There are many Bracadyte males vying for your attention. Surely there is one that interests you?”

She shook her head, her chin lifting slightly. “I do not want to be forced to choose from a group of males, brother. I want Tony.”

“I am afraid that Tony has no romantic interest in you, Naura. I do not think him capable of such emotions.”

Vaulcron leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Think no more on it tonight. We must rise in a few hours,” he implored her before turning away and heading off to bed.