Rage (Galactic Cage Fighters) (13 page)

They didn’t say anything else to each other while they waited for Talon to return. They set up the TV and digital player so that they could watch the video recording. Rage remained in the one chair not smashed. Talon
preferred to stand. Rachel sat on the floor.

“There
! She looks sideways in the direction of the camera and then she just walks out the door.” Talon paused the image of the beautiful brown haired woman on the screen. “She left the hotel by herself. All I have of her is that pitiful letter.”

“She didn’t.” Rachel shook her head.

“She didn’t what?” Rage asked.

“She didn’t
write the letter. I had the handwriting checked in the database. It didn’t match any of the sample handwriting we had on file for Lindy.”

Talon scratched his head, “But
… we can clearly see her leaving on her own.”

Rachel stared at the screen a little closer. “Oh
my gosh!”

“What?” Talon asked. Even Rage leaned forward to see what was going on.

She turned on Rage. “Know my opponent, right, Rage? That’s what everyone has been drilling in me since day one.” He just nodded, looking confused. “When is a Rasilian the weakest?”

“When they have held a different
shape for too long, they will have to change back to their original form,” Rage said, not really understanding where this was going.

“Okay, how can you tell when a
Rasilian is about to change their form?” she prompted.

Talon answered her question. “Their eyes glow first, their whole body takes on a shimmer,
and then they begin transforming.”

Rachel hit the rewind and
play buttons on the remote. All three of them watched as the lovely brown haired woman walked through the lobby of the hotel. She turned briefly towards the camera then went outside. Rachel paused the scene right at the moment that the woman turned to look at the camera. In that split second, her eyes glowed.

Shit!

Chapter 14

It took a good two hours for both Rage and Rachel to convince Talon not to tear
Tipin and Resa apart limb by limb. They had to continue to act as if they didn’t know anything. They needed them to lead them to the missing women.

Rachel told them that if she could get them interested in taking her, then they could lead them to the missing women.
Talon agreed to hold back, giving Rachel the time she needed to make her move. But he warned her that if she didn’t make a move soon, he would take matters in his own hands.

They were finally alone. What could she say to fix things with him? “Rage
…”

“Don’t say anything right now. I have a lot I need to process and it’s not helping any at all that my inner beast wants to fuck you till you can barely walk.”

Her body shivered and she wanted nothing more than to make that happen. He was a good man. If only he would forgive her.

“For
Resa and Tipin to get away with this, someone higher up with the GCFA has to be behind this,” Rage told her as he started taking his shirt off. He knew Rachel was watching his every move. It aroused him more knowing she ached for him, too.

“I know
, that’s why I can’t go after them directly. I have to get information from them first.”

Rage looked at her. “So it would be better if you weren’t here with me?”

Rachel nodded. “They need to believe that we had a fight and broke it off. Talon can vouch for the fight.” When he didn’t say anything she added, “I’ll get my things and go back to my suite with Sersan. By morning everyone will know about it, including Tipin and Resa.” He remained quiet so Rachel stood up and went to get her things.

She stood at the door preparing to leave.
Everything inside her screamed for her to stay. To kiss him, hold him, and pleasure him till he forgave her. But she couldn’t. “I have never gotten personally involved with a case before. But from the moment I met you, I wanted you. I couldn’t help but give in to my desire to have you. I never wanted to hurt you. I just—”

Rage moved so fast she didn’t see him. He pushed her body up against the door. The heat coming off of him was flaming hot. “We have unfinished business between us. So let’s play this game with
Tipin and Resa. Then, we’ll settle things between us.” He claimed her mouth with determined lips. He poured his determination and passion into the kiss. Rachel whimpered with need. Then he suddenly released her, stepping back away from her. All she could do was nod her head at him and turn to leave.

She wasn’t sure if settling things would be good or bad. All she knew was
that she wanted him with her whole being. She left his suite feeling shaky and aroused. They had to make everyone believe things were over. She hoped that reality did not follow the make believe.

People were not surprised that Rage had ended things with Rachel. They all knew how he tired of humans so easily. But they were surprised that it happened so quickly. That was what Sersan told her everyone was saying.

She held her head up and went to her practice that morning. It wasn’t until after the afternoon
practice that Resa approached her. “I am so sorry to hear about you and Rage. I hope it didn’t have anything to do with us.”

Rachel shook her head. “It was bound to end anyway. Like I said, it wasn’t serious. The sex was so good neither of us was ready to call it quits.”

“How good are we talking about?” Resa asked with a gleam in her eye. Ah, Rachel knew that would get her attention. She knew that Resa had never been with any of the male fighters here except her husband. Tipin had only been allowed to bring other women to the marriage bed to share with his wife.

“I nearly pass out every time I come. It
sooooo good,” Rachel gushed.

“Well, sorry it ended too soon. Would you still be interested in meeting
those friends I mentioned?”

“Sure, why not.”

“Would tonight be too soon? Or do you need time to get over the break up?” Resa asked. Rachel could hear the interest in the other woman’s voice.

“There’s nothing to get over. Tonight will be fine.”

“Meet us just outside the entrance leading to the port ramp, at nine sharp this evening.”

“Okay. Guess I’ll grab dinner
, then head up to shower and change. See you then.” Rachel picked up her bag and started walking to the banquet room. Her phone rang.

“Hello
?”

“Rachel Starr?”

“Yes.”

“Your cousin Trig was in an accident,” the voice said over the line.

Shit! It was the IDJ calling using their codes words to alert her that there was an emergency and she needed to meet with Trig.

“Was it bad?” she asked.

“It was touch and go. He would like for you to give him call as soon as you can.”

“Yes, I’ll do that. Thanks.”

She ended the call and changed her direction for her suite. Once there she used her scanning system to make sure there were no bugs in her room or on her phone. Then she dialed the untraceable number to her boss.

“
Kegan?”

“Yes sir.”

“Line secure on your end?”

“Yes.”

“We have news regarding this case.”

“Go ahead.”

“One of the missing women was found dead early this morning in the Gamma Region.”

Rachel sat down on the bed. The wind was knocked out of her. This was what every agent dreaded,
having their victim turned up dead. “Which one?”

“Case
#1712.”

“Which woman?”
Did she just yell at her boss?

There was a pause
. “Melissa Dearling. I’m sending the full report to your secure email link. I don’t need to remind you the importance of resolving this case.”

“No sir. I understand. I have a lead I’ll be following this evening.”

“Good, follow standard protocol. Call me when you have something. Use the secure line. Trig is already en route. He should be there in a few hours. Do you need me to send the local authorities for backup?”

“Not yet
, sir. I don’t want to break my cover.” Well, she had already broken her cover with Rage and Talon, but now was not the time to disclose that.

“I’ll be waiting on that call
, Agent Kegan.” Her boss hung up.

She heard a knock at her door.
She opened it to find Rage standing in the hallway. He took one look at her and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “What happened?”

Tears streamed down her face. She
had failed to find them and now one of them was … “She’s dead,” Rachel hiccupped.

It tore Rage apart inside to see his strong Rachel so upset. “Who’s dead? Not
Lindy?” His stomach turned at the possibility of having to tell Talon this news. It would kill his friend.

She shook her head. “Another girl, Melissa
Dearling was found dead this morning.”

Rage took her in his arms and comforted her. It was clear to him that
this wasn’t just another case for Rachel—she truly cared about these women.

“What if I don’t find the others? What if they end up dead
, too?” Rachel was shaken to her core.

“I will do everything in my power to help you find them. I swear it. We’ll do it together. Okay?”

She nodded her head. She needed to let him know about tonight. “Resa wants me to meet her friends tonight. I’m supposed to meet her and Tipin at the port ramp.”

“I’ll let Talon know.” They heard someone at the door.
“Show time.” Rage stood and walked to the door. He was startled when a chair hit the wall right by his head. He turned back to stare at Rachel with genuine surprise.

“And don’t come back!” Rachel yelled.

Chapter 15

Rage walked around Sersan, who stood frozen in the doorway. “Careful, Sersan, the pure human has lost her mind.”

“Wow! I thought you two would make up once you both calmed down.”
Sersan closed the door behind her.

“Nope.
He screwed up and I don’t give second chances.”

“Are you joining the rest of us downstairs
for dinner? I didn’t you see there earlier so I came to check on you.”

Rachel looked at the time. It was eight fifteen. She had to take a shower and start getting ready for tonight. “I’m not hungry right now. I have to get ready.”

“Got a hot date already?”

“I’m going out with
Resa and Tipin. They want to introduce me to some friends of theirs.” She noted the disappointed look on Sersan’s face.

“Just be careful around those two.”

“I will.”

Rachel stood just outside the entrance to the GCFA commissioned ship. The path leading to the galactic port that they were on was only a ramp walkway. She felt eyes on her.

“We weren’t sure you would make it.” Tipin’s voice rang out of the darkness as he approached her.

Rachel tried to ignore the unease she felt. “Hi. Where’s
Resa?” She looked around for Tipin’s other half but didn’t see her.

“She’ll be along shortly. I have a shuttle
waiting to take us to our destination. Let’s go wait for her inside.” He put his hand at her back as he led her down the ramp.

Rage opened the door when someone knocked loudly on his door. Rachel was standing in the hallway with a suitcase in her hand. “What are you doing here Rachel?”

“Since we’re over, there’s no point in me staying. I just wanted to say goodbye.”

“Fine, goodbye!” He slammed the door in her face and dialed the number on his phone. “Do you have visual? Good. I’m on my way.”

Rachel had to work hard not to respond to the things going on around her. After her last visit with Resa and Tipin she had her mouth swabbed and tested. They had tried to drug her that night. She knew they would try it again, so she had gotten a local lab send her the antidote. She was fully conscious, but she faked it. Tipin had taken advantage by unbuttoning her blouse and pinching her nipples. He would have done more if Resa had not finally came on board the shuttle.

“Leave her be
, Tipin.”

“Just wanted a little sample before we ship her off.
Where’s she going?”

“
Stergin didn’t say. He’ll be waiting for us at the warehouse. You know he doesn’t trust us with that information. Just like with all the rest.”

“I think we should get paid twice what we got last time. This is Rachel Starr
, after all. The only pure human to qualify for the GCFA circuit,” Tipin complained as he continued to rub Rachel’s breasts lightly.

“I know. It pisses me off that we’re not getting more from
Stergin.” She eyed Rachel’s breasts and licked her lips. “When we get to the warehouse we can each take a turn with her. We need to get something more for our trouble.”