Chapter Nine

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Stella hated to put the chemical shackle on Draeken when they’d been getting along so nicely. Plus, he’d been perfectly silent in front of Victoria not saying a word as if he had been shackled already, but she should have put the device on him immediately. Then again, he’d been breaking her out of jail at the time, so that seemed like bad timing.

Each of the team carried a shackle device as part of the tactical gear Cam felt necessary for an offsite situation such as this one. They hadn’t known which of the three crash victims they’d encounter when they split up to search.

The only good news was no one knew about her previous relationship with Draeken. She wanted to keep it that way around her Earther friends and co-workers.

She looked into Draeken’s eyes. She saw all manner of emotions, starting with the sting of betrayal and ending with the shock of the device keeping him subdued in both voice and motor skills.

“I’m sorry. I truly am,” she said in her most sincere voice.

His eyes widened a bit, but his expression didn’t otherwise change. Stella had only seen this used on a monstrous beast loose in Alienn several months ago. It had worked perfectly to end the terror of a mindless animal loose on the streets.

Cam had been the one to attach the device to that creature. She didn’t know if he’d lost a bet or simply been driven to discover a solution to the big problem. Either way, he’d been victorious and heroic that day. And now they had a new device to use on aliens on Earth to subdue and make them obey.

Draeken wasn’t a monstrous beast and she was sympathetic to his need to discover what happened to his brother, but she had a job to do.

“Let’s go. Walk with me,” Stella said, hooking her hand around his elbow and leading him out of the ally and down the sidewalk.

They passed a Christmas-themed toy store. It looked like it was actually snowing inside. She stopped to look in the front window. Draeken seemed equally taken with the place, if the zeal in his eyes was any indication. She scolded herself out of that supposition. He was likely wild eyed because he was shackled, not because supernatural folks could likely make weather do what they wanted. They moved on down the street.

Stella had to check in soon. She reached for the communicator on her belt out of habit, but it was gone. She stopped, patting her body down as if she’d find it stuck to her clothing. Then she remembered she’d noted its absence at the sheriff’s office. Foolish. She looked around to ensure no one was paying them any attention and moved Draeken into a shallow alley between two buildings attached at the back.

Stella tried to remember the last time she knew it had been in her possession. She’d had the communicator when the three of them had been at the crash site. They’d all set a timer together for a check-in that was fast approaching. She also had another check-in with Alienn soon after that. Where could it be?

She’d had it in the backseat of Sheriff Merrow’s car because she remembered it digging into her hand at one point on the journey, the corner of the metal device cold against her wrist as she tried to get comfortable with handcuffs on. Either Sheriff Merrow hadn’t seen the device cleverly attached to her belt—and it had been developed that way as a safety measure—or he’d ignored it thinking it was only a phone, which is exactly what it looked like, a tiny slender phone.

She obviously didn’t have it when she’d been put in the jail cell. Along with the Big D already in his possession, the sheriff had taken her ID and cash before locking her up. Hopefully he hadn’t had a chance to call Alienn and rat her out yet. Another worry for a later time.

She must have dropped it in the back of his car. Any human who found it would likely assume it was a cellular phone, but the device wouldn’t turn on unless she was holding it. They were set only to operate for the assigned user. Even so, she needed to get it back, desperately. Cam would freak out if she didn’t return from the field with it.

She looked at Draeken. His expression was neutral. Not wide-eyed anymore. That was somewhat of a relief.

“I’ve lost my communicator,” she said. “I must find it.”

He nodded.

“I think it might be in the back of the sheriff’s vehicle.”

His brows furrowed, but that was all. She couldn’t determine his meaning. Maybe he was sympathetic. Maybe he thought she was foolish. Maybe he didn’t want to be shackled anymore so they could have a regular conversation. Not happening. She’d already gone off the rails too much with this assignment. From now on she’d be by the book regarding the prisoner, even if it was Draeken.

Stella looked around to get her bearings and noticed the sheriff’s office just ahead. She led Draeken in that direction. Half a block from the front door, she ducked down another alley, hoping to find the back parking lot where the sheriff had left his vehicle.

If the car was unlocked and her device was inside, she could call in with her success story of finding Draeken, the prisoner, and then make her way to the rendezvous point.

She found the parking lot. There was no one around. She walked over to the sheriff’s vehicle. It was parked in the same place as when she’d been taken from it hours before.

“Keep watch,” Stella said to Draeken. “You’re allowed to warn me verbally if you see anyone coming.” He nodded.

Stella put a hand up to her brows to block the sun and put her nose against the glass of the backseat. Searching the floors and then the whole expanse of the backseat area, a thrill rode up her spine when she saw her communicator. It was on the seat, half wedged between the back and seat cushions.

“Animal,” Draeken said. “There’s an animal coming toward us.”

Stella looked over one shoulder. A small black cat trotted toward them—maybe black was the only color of cat allowed in a town that celebrated Halloween 365 days a year.

“I appreciate you wanted to talk and everything, but I hardly think a tiny cat is a threat.”

Draeken gave her a sideways glance. “Cat is coming closer. I’m warning you, as requested.” He didn’t sound cranky or disgruntled, when he certainly had the right to do so, but that had never been Draeken’s way. He was happy-go-lucky even during what she considered dire circumstances. And that was also part of the problem for any promising future for the two of them. He didn’t often take things seriously, even possibly calamitous things. She took everything seriously.

Opposites might attract, but she didn’t want to always be the grown-up. She wanted a partner, not a juvenile she’d have to mind or explain things to. Even so, she didn’t want Draeken to change for her. He was a good guy. He may have had a colorful past that involved minor scrapes with the law, but they were never instigated by him and there was certainly never any nefarious intent on his part.

The small fluffy cat trotted by without a second look in their direction, seemingly on the hunt for something else. Stella heard purring as the animal moved behind them. She could have sworn she heard words coming from the creature, knowing that was absurd. Still, it sounded like, “Hun-gry. Hun-gry. Hun-gry,” with each trotting step the little black cat took on its journey.

She shook her head, certain she was hearing things, and turned back to the task at hand.

“What’s the best way to break into a police car?” she asked herself out loud.

“Quickly,” Draeken said. “Definitely without getting caught.”

“Very funny.” She glared at him and he gave her a look of such love and devotion she was momentarily blinded. They were standing very close together. Stella leaned closer.

“Kiss me,” she said. And he did. Boy howdy. The kiss was equal parts love and concern and the wish she’d once had for their possible future. At least on her side. From his side, she realized she hadn’t given him much of a choice. He had to do what she said. The thought shamed her.

Stella broke the sultry kiss, scanning his face for any hint he didn’t want to kiss her. His expression seemed puzzled.

“Did you want to kiss me?” she asked in a whisper. “Or did the shackle make you do it? Tell me the truth.” You have to tell me the truth anyway. I want to know for certain your feelings.

“I always want to kiss you Stella, with or without a shackle. That’s the truth.”

She lifted onto her tippy toes and kissed him again, letting herself fall into the short moment of feeling safe and loved and protected. When she ended it this time, his expression was a bit dark and filled with something new. Desire? Regret? Both?

Stella shook off the urge to free him and turned her attention back to the sheriff’s vehicle.

“What should I do first?” she asked as if the air around her would tell her what to do. Secretly she hoped Draeken would help her. Then again, he had to, didn’t he?

“Check to see if the vehicle is already unlocked,” Draeken said. He flashed his signature mischievous and engaging—and, for her, dangerous—smile.

She reached for the back door handle, pulled and lifted. It opened without a hitch. Relief poured through her. Stella snatched up her communicator and quickly closed the door. The break-in took only seconds, but she was so relieved it was over.

“I can’t believe how easy that was,” she murmured.

“Woman,” Draeken said. Stella thought he was making a snide remark about her actions, but that wasn’t like him.

“What?”

“Woman entering parking lot.” Stella looked across the small lot and indeed saw a woman coming toward them with what looked like a picnic basket on one arm.

The moment the newcomer saw them, she frowned and hurried her step. Stella didn’t want to have to subdue anyone else. And with her Defender not working on everyone in this town, she wasn’t certain she should even pull it from her belt.

Space potatoes!