by S. E. Smith
Chapter 6
Tansy swayed dizzily. Her heart seemed to be beating too fast for her to catch her breath. It was like her body was telling her it was okay to shut down for a little while; she no longer had to worry. She tried to shake her head in denial.
No, she thought fiercely, she couldn’t give in. She couldn’t trust anyone.
She looked down into dark silver eyes staring up at her in wonder. Cosmos told her the truth. He said he was going to send her a big ass alien warrior to help her and he did. She couldn’t understand a damn thing he said, couldn’t even think straight enough to understand what the hell happened when she touched him, and could only hope the look in his eyes meant that he really wouldn’t hurt her because she was about to crash and burn. Tansy tried to shake her head to clear her vision but the black spots were growing.
“Help me,” she whispered before her body collapsed.
Mak grabbed the slender figure as it melted in front of him. He wrapped his huge arms around her slight figure pulling it close against the warmth of his body. He stood up surveying the area. He saw a dark bag just inside the door of the room Tansy had rushed out of. He bent, shifting her in his arms so he could pick it up. Slinging it over his shoulder, he scanned the area carefully.
He needed to get her out of the building. In the distance he could hear the sounds of sirens. Cosmos warned him that neither he nor Tansy could be seen, especially by the local law enforcers. He moved around the dead bodies and headed for a set of metal stairs leading down. He would get her away from the building and assess her injuries. It went against everything in him to wait but her safety had to come first.
Mak moved silently through the warehouse. He headed toward a large set of doors that opened out back into the dark streets facing the same way he entered. When he reached the metal door, he raised a booted foot kicking it hard enough to knock it off its hinges and out into the deserted parking lot. He winced when he heard the loud clatter it made when it hit the concrete outside.
He picked up speed once he was outside moving away from the sounds of the approaching sirens. He turned the corner just as the first lights appeared. He continued at a slow, steady run for several blocks until he felt confident he was far enough away from the warehouse they would not be seen. He kept to the shadows and alleys as much as possible. Every once in a while he would bend his head to let his cheek rest alongside his mate’s soft one wanting to make sure she was still breathing. His arms tightened protectively when he scented the smell of fresh blood on her.
Mak paused to look around him. There was a door leading into an empty office building. Mak moved over to it and twisted the knob. It was locked. With a frustrated growl, he shifted Tansy’s slight weight in his arms again and pushed his shoulder against the door. It popped open. He quickly moved inside and shut the door behind him. It was cold inside but there was nothing he could do about that. He moved toward a back room so they would not be seen from the street. Pushing through a half-closed door, he saw it was some type of office. An old wooden desk that had seen better days stood in the center of the small room. A broken chair was pushed into a corner. Old papers were scattered along the dirty, concrete floor.
Mak walked over and gently laid Tansy’s body down on the desk. He ran his hand over her cheek as a shiver escaped her as she lost the heat from his body. He pulled the dark cap covering her hair off and drew in a swift breath at the beauty of it. The image he had did not do justice to the magnificent color. Shaking his head to clear it of anything but seeing to her well-being, he quickly moved from her head down to her booted feet. He cursed when he saw the healing wound on her side and the long, shallow cut across her stomach. He quickly cleaned both as best he could with the items he found in the black bag. Once he was done, he pulled her shirt down to cover the chilled flesh. He continued his examination pausing when he got to the material in her pants that was stiff with dried blood. He leaned over noticing the material had been stitched together carefully. Pulling his knife out of its sheath, he sliced the material open again hissing as he saw the red and swollen wound on her leg. The bandage covering it was soaked with fresh blood. The flesh around the narrow strip of material covering it was hot to his touch.
Another shiver racked the slender body and a soft moan escaped the pale lips. Mak’s eyes flew to the face of his bond mate. Exhaustion and pain were etched in the pale beauty of it. Dark shadows spread out under the crescent moons of her lashes. Her cheeks were flushed a bright red even as she shivered. Tiny lines formed between her closed eyes and around her mouth at his touch. He looked down at the wound again. It needed to be cleaned and redressed. He cut through the material wrapped around the wound and cursed silently when he saw the obvious infection. Mak grabbed the bag and dumped the items out on the desk next to Tansy. There was a small satellite phone like the one Cosmos gave him, a small device that looked like a computer, and a small box. Opening the box, Mak found two bandages and a small tube of ointment, nothing else.
Mak reached into the front inside pocket of his vest and pulled out the small kit all warriors carried into battle. Inside were several pain patches, a couple of sealant patches, and a mist with antigens that killed bacteria and viruses that caused infections. He placed one of the pain patches on the side of his mate’s neck and counted to ten slowly. Reaching down he sliced through the wound, pulling the few stitches that remained out and letting the infection pour out with the fresh blood. Picking up the HM mist, he sprayed the length of the wound, watching as it foamed up before dissipating. Once it was done, he pulled the skin together and laid a sealant patch over it. It would not come off until the wound was healed.
Satisfied he had done what he could to care for his mate’s wounds, he pulled the satellite phone out of his vest and pushed the power button. He quickly spoke the passcode into it and waited for Cosmos to answer.
“Mak, did you find her?” Cosmos anxious voice sounded immediately.
“Yes,” Mak answered.
“Yes, what?” Cosmos practically yelled. “Is she okay? Let me talk to her.”
“No,” Mak replied. “Is the gateway working?”
“Uh, no. And what did you mean ‘no’? Why can’t I talk to Tansy?” Cosmos asked anxiously.
Mak looked down at the shivering figure of his mate. He needed to find a warm place where he could bathe her, feed her, and care for her until she was stronger. He needed to take her home!
“She is unconscious. I have cared for her wounds but she needs additional healing. I must find a place where I can take care of her properly. When will the gateway be working?” Mak asked tersely.
“It is going to be at least forty-eight hours or more before I can get it up and going. The surged of power when you went through it burnt out some of the circuit boards. I have to rebuild them. It also knocked out power to a quarter of the city. I need to work on a different power structure. I’ve had the power company, the police, and the state calling me bitching about it,” Cosmos said in frustration.
“Cosmos, my mate needs care. She is very ill,” Mak said quietly. “I worry she will become too weak to survive.”
Cosmos released a deep breath that could be heard over the satellite phone clearly. “I’ve called Natasha and Helene. They are just waiting for the word where to pick you two up. I have your location on the tracking device. Thank God I have backup generators for RITA and some of my other equipment. I’ll call them. You’ll know it is them. Natasha has dark blonde hair. Helene has short hair. God only knows what color it is this week. Last time I saw her it was blue.”
Mak grunted as he put a hand down to still Tansy who was beginning to moan a little louder. “Call them,” Mak said and hung up.
He pocketed the satellite phone and gently reached down to draw Tansy’s shivering body back against his hard one. He moved over to the wall near the door where he would have a clear view of the door leading out into the street. His hand shook as he gently raised her left hand up in the dim light until he cou
ld see her palm. In the center, the intricate circles of the mating rite were clearly visible. He brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the center of it in wonder. She was his! Overwhelming feelings of joy, protectiveness, and possession poured through him until he wanted to roar out a challenge to any who would try to harm her.
He felt her move restlessly in his arms. Pressing a kiss to her hot forehead, he leaned back and watched as her eyes fluttered open. Even in the dim light he could see they were glassy and unfocused.
“Where… what…,” Tansy whispered in a husky voice.
“Shush, you are safe. I will not allow anything to harm you,” Mak quietly calmed her.
Tansy frowned up at the huge man holding her. She fought to clear her vision but she didn’t seem to have the strength. She swallowed and turned her head into the warm chest. It felt so good to be held, to feel safe for at least a little while.
“I don’t understand you,” Tansy muttered softly before letting her eyes close again. “I don’t understand…,” she said as her voice faded.
Mak cursed. He forgot to implant the translator. He watched as her eyelids fluttered closed again. Her breathing was slower, calmer as well. He needed to give her a massive dose of the HM mist to help with the fever burning through her body. He felt in his breast pocket until he touched the casing for the translator implant. Pulling it out, he tilted her head to the side. Carefully brushing her thick hair to the side, he inserted the small cylinder into her ear and injected the nano-translator. He turned her head and repeated the process. He slid the device back into his pocket before reaching for the small medical kit again. Opening it, he removed the HM mist and sprayed it under her nose several times until he felt confident she had received enough. Almost immediately, he felt her body relax as the heat began to fade. Her breathing slipped to a calmer, deeper one letting him know she had fallen into a deep sleep.
It was almost two hours later that the headlights of a transport light up the street. Mak watched as the car slowed and moved down the street a short distance before making a U-turn and parking along the curb across from the building he and Tansy were in. Mak rose easily, making sure he didn’t disturb Tansy until he stood, watching through narrow eyes. The driver’s side door opened and a slender figure emerged. The figure was wearing a thick coat that covered most of the figure’s legs. He couldn’t see the face that was turned away from him. A fur cap covered the figure’s head. A moment later another figure emerged. This one was wearing a short leather jacket, short blonde hair with blue spikes were clearly visible.
The figures looked around before the one with the blue spikes nodded before crossing the street toward them. Mak watched as the one wearing the long coat moved down the sidewalk peering into the buildings. He drew back a little as the one with the spiked hair approached with an easy gait. She peered into the window before moving toward the door. Mak palmed one of his short knives. She gripped the handle, pausing when she found it turned easily. She turned and said something softly before moving to enter.
“Hello?” A feminine voice softly called out in accented English. “Tansy… Mak?”
Mak moved out into the door. The female pulled back with a harsh curse in Russian. Mak fought back a smile as she saw his massive size and almost tripped trying to get away from him. He knew she would be able to see his eyes glowing in the dim light. He was still angry and on edge. They would not return to normal until he had his mate in a safe place.
“Your name?” Mak growled out low.
The second female came up and gasped. She muttered a curse as well before her eyes dropped to Tansy. She pushed by the first female striding forward.
“I am Natasha. Cosmos said you needed help. Come, we do not have much time. Helene will make sure the area is cleared so they do not know you were here. Come, quickly,” Natasha said not coming any closer.
“He is too damn big to fit in my car,” Helene muttered. “Where in the hell did Cosmos find him?”
“Hush, Helene. Cleanse the area quickly. Avilov’s men and the authorities are not far. It will be difficult enough without you getting pissed off,” Natasha muttered as she turned to make sure the road was clear.
“It will be light soon, too,” Helene bit out. “He will have to lie down in the back seat. He will draw too much attention otherwise,” she whispered back.
Mak watched as the female called Helene cleaned the area with clear expertise. His gaze swiveled back to the one called Natasha. She motioned for him to follow her. He moved quietly, pulling Tansy protectively against him as he let his own eyes scan the deserted streets. Natasha opened the back door and motioned for him to get in.
“You will need to lie down with her on top of you. It is the only way,” Natasha said looking around her instead of at him. “We have a fair distance to travel before it gets too light.”
Helene hurried forward opening the front and threw Tansy’s dark bag into the floorboard of the passenger seat. “Hurry, I hear cars coming,” she said.
Mak turned and sat down on the back seat. He turned Tansy until she was pressed chest to chest with him. He laid back and scooted until his head was pressed against the far door. Even so, he had to turn his legs at an awkward angle. With a growl, he realized he was far too large to fit into the seat lying down. With a curse, he sat up bending his head so it wouldn’t hit the roof.
Natasha shook her head while Helene just frowned. “Why did Cosmos have to send such a large bastard! Sit up but scoot down as far as you can. There is nothing we can do about you now. I will have to get another vehicle,” Natasha muttered in anger.
“On it,” Helene said pulling a cellphone out of her pocket and pressing a series of buttons. Within moments, she sat back with a grin. “One will be waiting for us on Kuzetzky.”
*.*.*
Natasha grunted as she slid behind the wheel and quickly pulled away looking in the mirror behind her. She took the first turn she came to before making a series of turns through narrow alleys and along more empty streets. She glanced in the mirror at the huge male sitting the back of the tiny Lada Priora. Cosmos had warned them that the man and woman they were going to be helping were very special. He forgot to mention the fact at least one of them weren’t fucking human. This was a first for Natasha and her sister. Both Natasha and her sister owed Cosmos a debt they could never repay. He had saved their parents and two younger brothers several years ago. He used his contacts, money, and expertise with computers to locate them after they had been kidnapped. Her father was a scientist for the Russian Institute of Research and Development. He was working on a highly secretive program for the government. When Natasha and Helene’s mother and little brothers were kidnapped and held in an effort to get her father to give copies of the research over to the American company wanting the technology, they did not know what to do. Her father, distraught at the loss of his family, had contacted Cosmos for help. Cosmos had met their father at a research conference. Cosmos was able to rescue their mother and brothers and exposed the company and the men behind it. The American government quickly moved in, shutting the company down. Cosmos used his resources to help their little brothers attend college in England while offering her parents a chance to work for one of the research companies he owned in Prague. Natasha and Helene had been attending college at the time in Paris and he assigned security guards to them. Since then, both of them had returned to Moscow and worked with the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“Who are you and where are you from?” Natasha asked as she took another turn.
Mak reached into his pocket and pulled out the translator. Helene turned and looked at him suspiciously. He motioned for her to put it against her ear and press the end before handing it to her. Helene reached for the device. She carefully turned it over in her hand before glancing at the huge man who was hunched protectively over the woman in his lap. He returned her stare with steady silver flames burning in them. She slowly reached up and placed it against her left ear. Mak nodded.
“I am called Mak ‘Tag Krell Manok. You may call me Mak,” he said in a deep voice. “I thank you for your assistance to myself and my mate. I need to get her somewhere safe so I can examine her more thoroughly.”
Helene jerked the device away from her ear. She turned and muttered in a low voice to Natasha who glanced in the mirror in surprise. “Ask him where he comes from.”
“Baade,” Mak said understanding what Natasha was saying. “I am Prime,” he repeated. “Have her place the device against her ear. It will embed a translator so she may understand what I say,” Mak watched as Helene place the device against Natasha’s right ear and pressed the end. Natasha jerked and looked at her sister in surprise.
“Where is that?” Helene asked turning to stare closer at the huge man.
Mak shrugged. “Far away. In a distant star system from your own.”
“How did you get here?” Natasha asked nervously as she realized she now understood what he was saying. “Why are you here? What do you want?”
Mak looked at the dark brown eyes staring at him periodically in the mirror. “I cannot tell you how I came to your world. It would be too dangerous. I came for my woman. My bond mate. I want… need her,” Mak said gently pushing a strand of dark red hair back from Tansy’s temple. He ran his fingers gently over her cheek until he could cup her jaw and pull it toward his chest.
“You came for a woman?” Helene asked after she repeated Mak’s answer in disbelief.
Mak looked up fiercely causing Helene to lean back in alarm. “She is not just a woman. She is my bond mate. I would give my life to protect her. I will kill anyone who threatens her.”