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Asher was lost for words. What did one say to make the whole scenario halfway palatable? The Tantonics wouldn’t rest until they’d killed or captured them all, and it was his fault for involving Marissa in the crazy mess in the first place.
He focused on the road ahead, which had widened into smooth bitumen. Bright shafts of morning sunlight intermittently dazzled the windshield through the canopy of thick trees on the sides of the road. “Although I killed those Tantonics that scented me on you, we can’t let any more of them suspect what you are. “
Or what you mean to me.
He had to forcefully stop his teeth from grinding together. “We have to keep those bastards away from you.”
“A breeder,” she said softly, clearly still dazed and in shock. “I can hardly comprehend how quickly my life has changed in such a short time.”
Guilt was like a knife twisting in his gut. “I’m sorry.”
Red splotched her pale cheeks. “Sorry because I’ve found out you’re only with me to make me pregnant and continue your genetic line?”
“That isn’t what I meant! Marissa, I’m with you because I want to be with you. Not because of some future genetic line.”
She sighed softly. “I’d begun to believe that maybe I wasn’t meant to be with anyone, that the people I cared about the most would leave me.” Behind all her bruising, her eyes looked stark, and even more wounded. “But I can’t live like that. Not anymore.”
Goddess she was strong, brave. He’d dumped her in the middle of an alien warfare and she was taking it on like a warrior. “I don’t want you to live that way either. You deserve so much better.”
Better than someone like me.
The thought was like acid under his tongue. But it didn’t take a genius to know he couldn’t offer her security or stability, not with the Tantonics and the PDA after them. Not even the greatest love in the world could make up for that.
His breath shuddered out. From what he’d seen of Earth television reality shows, love was a word spouted all too easily and without any real meaning behind it. Yet that gooey, warm sensation right in the core of his heart had to nothing to do with her being a breeder. From the first moment he saw her he’d been transfixed. She was everything he wanted in a woman and so much more.
He flicked on the indicator and turned onto the highway heading back to Sydney. His peripheral vision noted her struggle to stay awake even as she focused back on him.
“Where are we going? And where did you get this car?”
He hid a smile. She really was tough. “When I realized more Tantonics would swarm the area looking for us, I asked a neighbor, very nicely, if we could borrow his car.”
“In other words, you planted another suggestion.”
It wasn’t a question, but he nodded anyway, before he added, “As for where we’re going, I’m taking you to the nearest hospital to have you checked over.”
She scowled. “That’s a terrible idea. You know as well as I do that any one of our enemies will be keeping tabs on those places.”
Our enemies. His adversaries should have stayed his.
He rubbed at his ear, wishing he could make things right. “I won’t risk you having a head injury.”
“Then take me back to dad’s place.” Her voice came out tired, bitter. “His new wife is a nurse, she can check me over.”
He blew out a slow breath. “Maybe you’re right. It’s unlikely anyone would think we’d return to where we recently escaped. We’ll effectively be hiding in plain sight.”
Marissa managed a smile. “Exactly.” They travelled another ten minutes or so before she said into the silence, “I’d really like to learn more about the Tantonics. Know thy enemy and all that.”
Tension seeped back into his muscles, his hands clenching the steering wheel. “Other than that they’re a pack of vicious, power hungry assholes?”
Her smile widened. “Yeah, other than that.”
Jesus. He was surprised she was even awake still let alone able to focus. It was a good sign she wasn’t concussed. And she was right. She needed to know the enemy she’d acquired by association. He expelled a taut breath. “The Tantonics are all males, except for their queen. She’ll never leave her planet and her select harem of males that fertilize her when she isn’t laying her eggs.”
“Laying her eggs ... so she’s a reproductive machine?” At his nod she whispered, “How awful.”
He snorted out a laugh that held no joy. “Reserve your pity for her female hatchlings.”
She curled her hands into her lap, as though dreading to hear the truth, but asking anyway. “What happens to the hatchlings?”
“The males are sent off to nurseries where they are raised for five years before they’re sent off to training camps to learn how to become soldiers. Those who don’t make the grade become veritable slaves for the queen.”
“And the female hatchlings?”
“They’re sent to nurseries too, but only for the few months needed to fatten them up.” He sighed, disgust for the vile creatures twisting his gut. “Let’s just say the Tantonics are murderous, unfeeling cannibals.”
“Oh my god,” she whispered.
“They’re cold, malicious creatures. Unfortunately they are also highly intelligent, not to mention physically strong. But they do have vulnerable points. Their throat behind their language decoder and the back of their neck are particularly weak. Heat is their other limitation, but I guess you realized that when they wouldn’t go near our burning car.”
“I wasn’t taking too much notice of them then,” she said softly.
He stared straight ahead, concentrating on driving even as his mind returned to the sickening scene of Marissa running from the house, and then finding her with the Tantonics and seeing her almost knocked out from a single blow.
God his gut had burned with violence, his need to kill so strong he’d almost succumbed to his inner dragon. But there’d been no time for that. He’d had to kill them fast, before they disappeared forever with Marissa.
He might only have known the Earth woman a short time but he was linked to her as surely as their bodies had been when they’d made glorious, passionate love.
He turned to her, tenderness flooding him even before he realized she’d finally succumbed to sleep. Even with her black eye and split, thick lip, she was beautiful. But she’d need all the sleep she could get to aid her body’s healing.
His hands clenched again on the steering wheel. If even one more Tantonic attempted to harm a hair on her head, he’d scorch every living thing in a ten mile radius if that was what it took to keep her safe.
He released a jagged breath. If only it was that easy. The Tantonics were like a tsunami, powerful and unstoppable. The only way he or anyone else could ever stop them was to send soldiers to the planet of Tantonic, find the queen and destroy her. A pity finding her would be near impossible, let alone getting close enough to the planet without getting blown to kingdom come.
Just under two hours later he pulled into the driveway that was once Marissa’s home. Stopping at the gates, he didn’t have to worry about activating the keypad. Guards were now patrolling the area and he rolled the window down when one of the security men strolled toward him with a hand on his holster.
Asher nodded, talking softly so as not to wake Marissa. “I’m here with Reginald’s daughter.”
After too long a delay with the guard going through the process of confirmation, Asher finally drove the SUV through the gates and along the tree-lined driveway.
Reginald waited in front of the house, his face drawn. Of course it wasn’t every day that a father discovered his daughter was on the run from the government and powerful aliens with a shape shifting dragon. Reginald stepped forward as Asher cut the engine and climbed out.
“Why the hell are you driving Jerry’s car?” Reginald asked.
Asher shrugged. “He let me borrow it for the night.”
Reginald snorted. “I play golf with that man at the country golf club. He’s tighter-fisted than a politician.”
Whatever further wisdom Reginald had to say was stopped in its tracks when Asher opened the passenger door and scooped Marissa out of the car.
She stirred and opened her eyes, the bruising stark contrast to her pale green stare. “Asher, what’s going on?”
He smiled down at her. “We’re at your dad’s.” He turned back to a now chalk-white Reginald said, “Marissa has been injured. We thought your wife might want to check her over.
“What happened to her?” Reginald choked out.
“Daddy, I’m fine.”
“You sure as hell don’t look fine,” Reginald said, before turning a suspicious stare on Asher. “Did you do this to her?”
“Daddy!” Marissa breathed.
Asher didn’t break his stare from Reginald. “I assure you, I’m still the man who’d do anything to protect your daughter. And raising a hand to a woman has never been a part of who I am.”
Reginald raked his fingers through his silver hair and then reluctantly nodded. “I don’t doubt that, I see how much you care for her. And I do believe you’re an honorable man, or alien dragon, whatever the hell you are.”
“Man will do just fine, Dad,” Marissa admonished, before she looked up at Asher and said, “You can put me down now. I’m fine, honestly.”
He frowned. “You’re sure?”
She lifted a hand and brushed her fingertips down the side of his face. He had to fight an instinct to push against her hand and purr like a damn Earth cat, even as she said huskily, “I’m positive. I’m not made of glass.”
“What exactly happened to your face?” her father gritted.
She exchanged a look with Asher, and he knew immediately she didn’t want her dad to know the truth. Asher understood. She needed rest and relative calm, not dealing with an overprotective father and his one-hundred-and-one questions.
Sinking into her father’s mind, Asher took advantage of Reginald’s anguish to push past his strength of will and leave the barest hint of a suggestion.
Reginald shook his head. “Never mind, I’m sure you’ll tell me when you’re good and ready.”
Marissa smiled with telling relief. “Thanks Dad, and yes, I will.”
Asher was probably ten times more relieved when Marissa walked with them into the house without any trouble. Perhaps sleep was all she’d needed.
Amanda was sitting at the dining table, a cell phone pressed to her ear. When Asher stepped inside with Marissa and Reginald, Amanda looked up, her smile dying and her eyes widening at seeing Marissa’s bruised face. Her hand tightened on her cell. “Look, something’s come up. I’ve got to go. But I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Marissa said as Amanda disconnected her call, dropped the phone and ran toward her.
“Let me be the judge of that,” the older woman said in a stern voice. “I might not be a doctor but I’ve seen enough violence over the years to know my stuff.”
Asher felt almost weak with relief. Thanks to his people’s innate ability to heal, medicinal lore wasn’t a top priority on his planet. Seeing Amanda’s willingness to help and realizing that she’d earlier acted out of fear of losing Reginald, Asher could almost forgive the woman for what she’d done.
Amanda propped a hand under Marissa’s chin, then lifted her head and peered into her eyes. “Pupils appear normal. Have you vomited, or had any seizures?”
Marissa shook her head. “No, none of that.”
“Any confusion, slurred speech or trouble walking?”
“No, seriously, I’m fine.”
Amanda turned to Asher. “Has she slept?”
He nodded. “On the way home.”
“Did you have trouble waking her?”
“No, if anything she refused to fall asleep.”
Amanda frowned at the deep, unsightly scratch on her arm, before she stepped back to give her verdict. “She appears fine, but I’d keep an eye on her in any case. If there is any sign of a headache, or memory issues, she’ll need an MRI or CT scan.” She turned a steady stare back to Marissa. “That’s some trauma you’ve suffered. What happened?”
Asher probed into Amanda’s mind and was shocked at the absolute block. There was no way he’d be leaving her a suggestion. She was as strong-willed as Marissa.
Marissa turned to him. He gave a slight shake of his head before she turned back to Amanda with a sigh. “What happened was a big gray alien clouted me across the face.”
Amanda exhaled harshly. “Then I’m guessing that’s also what scratched your arm.” At Marissa’s nod she looked pointedly at Asher. “Not exactly the world’s greatest boyfriend, are you?”
On his planet a declaration like that would be considered treason. But he hated that he agreed, even as he doubted his most loyal subject would step in and defend him as adamantly as Marissa.
“It’s hardly his fault alien asshats want what he and his people have.”
Amanda cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t really know what you’re talking about, nor do I want to know. Just ... let’s get you to your bathroom. Once you’re showered and clean I can soak that wound with antiseptic. And there are still plenty of clothes in your bedroom closet.”
Asher stepped toward them and Amanda turned back to him. “Don’t worry, I’m not about to report you to the authorities. Not this time. I know you’ve got Marissa’s best interests at heart ... despite her appearance.”
Asher held himself back, his eyes on Marissa the whole way as she walked upstairs with Amanda right by her side.
“Well,” Reginald said into the taut silence. “I think this calls for an early drink.” He headed toward a bar that was hidden behind the staircase. “Something strong to settle the nerves.”
Asher accepted the drink, but his mind wasn’t on Reginald’s halfhearted attempts then at chitchat, he was too busy listening out for trouble. Marissa wasn’t yet fully healed, and was therefore vulnerable. He couldn’t let himself be sidetracked and not hear enemies approach until it was too late.
After a few more minutes of talking to himself, the older man gave up the pretense of conversation and stared moodily into his drink. But then he cleared his throat and lifted his head. “You know, there’s a lot you could be hiding from Marissa, but I get the sense you’ve told her more than Luke ever did.”
Asher’s interest revived in a rush. “You’re right. She knows everything she should about me now. If it wasn’t for the Tantonics, I believe I could make her very happy.”
Reginald nodded. “Much as it grieves me to admit it, I think you’re right. In fact, even with those aliens and the government people after you, I’d say you’d still make her happier than Luke ever did.”
Asher’s throat thickened and his voice sounded hoarse when he acknowledged, “I’d do anything for her.”
“I believe you would.” Reginald took a sip of his amber liquid. “I mightn’t know you all that well, but I’m an astute man. And my guess is you’re far worthier of my daughter than the man she thought she loved.”
“I’m honored you think that.”
“Luke was a snake,” Reginald said darkly. “He worked in the accounts department for a string of my companies, until he was caught recording false numbers and redirecting the money into his own bank account.”
“Marissa didn’t know?”
Reginald shook his head. “He’d been seeing my daughter for three months by that stage. The moment Luke knew he’d been caught, he withdrew what money he could and did a runner, dragging Marissa with him on the pretense of saving her from me.”
Asher’s hands fisted. Marissa had been taken advantage of in the worst way.
Reginald exhaled noisily. “The bastard then threatened to harm Marissa if I alerted the police, or tried to persuade her to come home.”
Asher’s gut churned. The jerk had pretended to love Marissa just to save his own hide. How had Marissa fallen in love with a man like that?
“I was a complete wreck,” Reginald admitted. “But everything got a whole lot worse when Luke bribed me for money. A few days before his accident, he asked for a million dollars to send Marissa home. If he didn’t get it he threatened to marry her, and we’d never see her again—“
The stairs creaked and a freshly showered Marissa in a gorgeous white lacy dress stilled on the bottom step. Her face paled and her eyes glittering with emotion. “Daddy, please tell me you’re lying.”
