by S. E. Smith
Natasha’s eyes widened at the deep, dangerous growl in Mak’s voice. She didn’t need a translator to know what he was saying. The way he touched the tiny female in his arms and held her so tenderly was enough evidence to tell her he meant it when he promised to kill anyone who would mess with her.
A soft moan escaped the female in question. Natasha watched as the woman’s eyelashes fluttered before she opened her eyes. The woman’s body stiffened in alarm briefly before she forced herself to relax. She turned her head and her eyes collided with Natasha’s in the mirror. Natasha felt a shiver go down her spine.
Shit, Natasha thought, the woman is almost as bad as the man.
*.*.*
Tansy forced her body to relax. She could tell the arms holding her tightened the moment she moved. Her quick glance took in all the information she needed to know. She was in a Lada Priora, a popular car in this area of Moscow. There were two females, in addition, to the huge ass alien male who was holding her. Tansy recognized the two females. They were Pavel Baskov’s two daughters. She remembered their faces from when she helped Cosmos a couple of years ago.
“Which…” Tansy began before clearing her throat and starting over again. “Which one of you is Natasha and which is Helene?” She asked in Russian.
Helene jerked around and glared at Tansy. “How do you know about us?” She demanded.
Mak’s head jerked up and a low rumble escaped at the tone in Helene’s voice. She jerked back again as far as her seat belt would let her. His eyes warned her to be careful how she talked to Tansy.
Tansy looked up at the face above her. She shook her head. Only Cosmos could find a planet with a Neanderthal on it to rescue her. She turned her head back to the woman with the short spiky blue hair.
“I saw your pictures when I helped get your mom and brothers out,” Tansy said relaxing back against the warm chest and lap. She figured she could move in a little while. Right now, she was just too comfortable. “Cosmos called me in when they were kidnapped.”
Helene sat forward, a smiling lighting up her face. “You are the female who they talked about! I am Helene and this is my sister, Natasha. All of the reports we were able to get our hands on said only that a female agent of the American government was responsible for rescuing our mother and brothers. They said you were critically wounded,” Helene said hesitantly.
Tansy shook her head. “It was a cover-up. They didn’t want my cover blown for another assignment I was on. It pulled the suspicion off of me,” Tansy said with a sigh as she tried to sit up.
She frowned up at the huge man holding her when he shifted so she was still lying against him. She decided it wasn’t worth the effort to fight and relaxed back against his firm chest. She leaned her head back against his shoulder with a tired sigh.
“Where are we going?” Tansy asked.
“We are heading to pick up another vehicle. Your friend is too large to remain hidden and will draw too much attention. Once we have it, we are going to a small farm outside of the city. You should be safe there for a few days. Cosmos is working on a plan to return you to his home. We will be working on a secondary method of escape should his plan fail,” Natasha said pulling up to a line of vehicles.
She nodded to Helene who climbed out of the car. They all watched as she walked across the street to where a man was waiting for her. They talked briefly before she turned and strode over to where a small transport van was parked. Within moments, she pulled out and drove slowly by them heading down the street.
“Where does she go?” Mak asked harshly, a dark tone of mistrust in his voice.
Tansy’s head jerked around so fast her head hit his chin. “Ouch!” She yelped, raising a hand to rub her head. “I can understand you!” She breathed out startled.
Mak pulled her hand down and looked in displeasure at her head. He brushed a kiss across it tenderly before he pulled back and scowled down at her. “You must be more careful. I have not had a chance to heal your other wounds and you get more. You must not get hurt,” Mak growled out fiercely.
Tansy looked up in disbelief. “Who are you?!” She muttered.
Natasha chuckled. “I would guess he has decided you are his.”
Tansy’s head swiveled until she was looking at the back of Natasha’s head with a scowl of her own. “Why would you say something like that?”
Natasha glanced briefly at Tansy in the rearview mirror, her eyes danced with merriment. “Oh, I don’t know. It could have been his ‘I came for my woman’ comment or the fact he called you his ‘bond mate’.”
Tansy’s scowl deepened until it was just as dark and fierce as Mak’s had been. “I am not anybody’s woman and I am definitely not someone’s mate. I think I would know if I was,” Tansy muttered darkly.
Natasha pulled into a parking space behind a business before replying. “I am not the one you have to convince. I have a feeling the huge male holding you would disagree rather fiercely with you,” she said with a laugh as she opened the door to the car. “Come, we do not have much time before the early morning workers begin to arrive.”
Tansy moved to scoot out of the strong arms holding her. For an instant they tightened around her in warning. Tansy shot a glare over her shoulder only to freeze in confusion. The eyes staring back at her held worry and concern.
“Wait for me to get out first. I want to make sure it is safe,” the deep voice rumbled lowly.
Tansy shook her head even as she moved over onto the seat so he could get out first. Never in her life had she let someone else take the chance in a dangerous situation. She watched as he untangled his huge body from the back seat of the little car and looked around carefully before bending and offering her his hand. Tansy felt a flutter in her stomach as she placed her smaller hand in his larger one.
Strong fingers closed around her hand and pulled her toward his hard body. Tansy looked down in surprise when she felt the cool air against her thigh. She barely had time to glance down and notice her pant leg was cut open again before she was on her feet in the frigid air.
“Hurry, I will get your bag. Climb in the back of the van,” Natasha said quickly looking around. “Helene says you are very popular with all the wrong people, Tansy. I would be most interested to know what you did to upset not only Boris Avilov but half of the other mob bosses of Russia as well.”
Tansy snorted. “Take your pick. They don’t like it when you steal from them and they definitely don’t like it when you try to kill one of them.”
Natasha looked at Tansy like she had lost her mind. “Shit, you don’t do anything halfway, do you?”
“Let’s go! Sasha said half the force is being called in. There is a warehouse full of dead bodies and the captain is being told it must be contained,” Helene said in a hushed tone.
Mak didn’t wait for Tansy to begin moving; he simply swung her up into his arms and moved toward the back of the van where Helene was standing impatiently. Natasha moved forward tossing Tansy’s backpack in behind them. She slid into the passenger seat this time while Helene took over the driving.
“Sasha will come for the car in a few minutes. He wanted to make sure we were not followed,” Helene said.
“What did you tell your friend?” Tansy asked in a low voice.
She had learned a long time ago the more people involved the more likely there was a weak link in the chain. Someone could always get to one of those links and break it. Whether it was through money, threats, or force it didn’t matter. The more people involved the more chance of getting caught.
Helene looked behind her before turning to face forward. “Nothing. Sasha was told we are moving some furniture and needed to borrow a van. I told him I was being followed and didn’t want anyone to know where I was moving. I asked him to come get the car and drop it off at the department and I would pick it up later.”
“Why would he think you were being followed?” Tansy asked in a suspicious voice.
Natasha turned and looked at Tansy with a m
ischievous grin. “You are not the only one who brings out a possessive feeling. Helene has an admirer who has been very persistent lately.”
Helene snorted. “I should just kill his ass. No one would ever know.”
Natasha laughed. “He is only one of the wealthiest men in Moscow. He owns several popular night clubs in the city, as well as in several other European countries. He took a liking to Helene during one of our assignments. Since then, he has been very insistent.”
Helene’s eyes flashed with irritation. “He is a dirty old man who wants a trophy on his arm. I am no man’s trophy!” She snapped out taking a turn a little faster than she should have.
Mak wrapped his arm around Tansy’s smaller body and gripped a metal bar to keep them from being thrown around in the back of the van. “Slow down or drive better. You will not endanger my mate!”
Tansy pushed on Mak’s arm in irritation. “I am not your mate. I don’t even know who you are! You came into my life a grand total of a few hours ago,” she growled back.
“You are mine!” Mak said stubbornly. “You bear my mating mark.”
“What in the hell are you talking about?” Tansy glared furiously. “So help me, if you did anything screwy to me while I was out I’ll castrate your ass!”
It took a moment before the words translated correctly for Mak to understand what Tansy said. When it did, he couldn’t suppress the chuckle that escaped. “My ass does not have anything for you to castrate. You would need to focus on the front of me.”
Tansy’s jaw dropped open before snapping shut when Natasha and Helene burst out laughing. “Well, it is nice to know you are built like a man,” she muttered.
Mak’s eyes gleamed with desire as he leaned close to Tansy so only she could hear his next words. “Oh, I am most definitely built like a man… a very large man who wants you very badly.”
Tansy blushed to the roots of her red hair. She looked up at Mak was a combination of shock, fury, and curiosity. Her eyes sparkled at the challenge in his. She refused to back down. She knew what he was doing. He was daring her to be afraid of him. He was daring her to be intimidated by his size. Well, she may have never met a bigger man in size but she had yet to meet anything that she was so afraid of she would back down.
“Well, just to let you know, I am NOT going to make it easy for you,” she whispered fiercely. “I’m not afraid of you, big guy. You can huff and puff all you want but this little girl is not going to be blown away by you!”
Mak’s eyes softened as he saw the stubborn tilt of her chin. “I am counting on that, je talli.
Tansy’s pulse jerked at the unfamiliar words. “What does that mean?”
“You are my heart. Without you, I would not have a heart,” Mak replied reaching out to gently touch Tansy’s chest.
Tansy shook her head, a deep frown darkening her face. “Do you really expect me to believe you? You just met me. How can I be your anything?”
“I have known you for many, many weeks. It has taken that long for me to get permission to come to your world. I have also spent over a week with your friend Cosmos. He gave me this to give to you. He said he wanted it back,” Mak corrected in a low tone as he pulled the pendant she had given Cosmos out and handed it to her. “The first time I saw your image I knew you belonged to me, forever,” he added quietly.
Tansy stared in silence at the huge alien male who suddenly seemed to be a permanent part of her life. Her heart beat out an erratic patterned until he touched her chest. She actually felt the moment when her heart slowed down to match his. In that instant, she knew that more than their hearts were beating as one.
Chapter 7
“We have to return to the city. All available personnel have been requested to be present. I would bet all the money Boris Avilov has that it is about the warehouse,” Natasha said as she showed Tansy around the small farmhouse. “This belongs to my family. We visit here but do not live here full time any longer. Helene and I have made some improvements. There are weapons in the pantry here and an additional exit from the basement. Helene is showing Mak it now. I apologize that we cannot stay longer but we do not want to draw any suspicion to ourselves,” Natasha said as she pulled a false wall loose in the back of the pantry to show where numerous handguns and assault rifles hung.
Tansy whistled under her breath at the impressive display of weapons. “You talk about me! These are some pretty exciting weapons you have,” Tansy muttered.
Natasha smiled. “After what happened to our mother and brothers, Helene and I are rather careful about being prepared for any contingency.”
Tansy nodded as she pulled a couple of Baikal IJ-70 Makarov pistols out. She quickly checked the chamber and clip before reaching for several additional clips. She would need to return to the pantry after she ate and rested. She liked the look of several of the knives.
“I am glad you like what you see,” Natasha teased.
“Natasha, we need to get going,” Helene called out as she came into the kitchen. “Sasha called. The boss is asking about us.”
Natasha nodded before she turned and briefly studied Tansy. With a shrug, she pulled Tansy into her arms for a quick hug. “We owe you more than we can ever repay. Cosmos gave us your satellite phone number. We will contact you when we have additional information. Until then, rest. There are clothes in the bedroom that should fit you well enough.”
Helene came over and gave Tansy a brief hug as well. “There is a Land Rover in the shed out back. The tunnel in the basement leads to it. Your man knows how to access everything. Stay inside as much as possible.”
Tansy pulled back and looked at the two sisters who were regarding her with worry expressions on their faces. “Thank you for your help. You know that by helping me you have put not only yourselves in danger but your family as well.”
Helene waved her hand in the air nonchalantly. “Cosmos added additional security for our parents and brothers. Natasha and I are used to danger,” Helene said. “There is plenty of canned food for you. Get some rest.”
Mak came into the kitchen where he towered above the three women. His eyes were glued to Tansy’s slight form. He had spent time outside checking over the perimeter of the property and listening to what Helene told him about the safeguards set up at the farm. Now, he only wanted the other two women to leave so he could concentrate on healing and caring for his mate. He didn’t like the dark shadows under her eyes or the lines of pain that still pulled at her mouth despite the pain patch he put on her. She needed rest.
Mak moved to one side as the two women turned to leave. “You will not tell anyone of Tansy being here,” he ordered.
Helene rolled her eyes while Natasha bit back a chuckle. “No, we will not tell anyone. We will call if we find out anything. In the meantime, take care of your woman. She needs rest.”
Both women chuckled at Tansy’s snort of aggravation. Tansy watched as the two women walked out to the transport van and climbed in. She did not turn around until they had turned onto the main road. With a sigh, she pushed back her fatigue. She needed to check the house and surrounding area out for herself. She wouldn’t be able to relax until she knew what was in place and had covered every single possible entry and exit point.
Turning, she ran into a huge muscular chest and a set of equally large arms. She looked up trying to not show her exasperation at the big man crowding her space. She was going to have to teach him there is a line as to how close he was to get to her. He was currently way over it on the wrong side.
“Okay Mak, is it?” Tansy said taking a step back only to find herself trapped by the door. “Listen, we need to discuss this personal space invasion.”
Mak tilted his head and looked down into the vibrant green eyes of his mate. “You need food, a bath, and bed,” he said. “I will fix you something to eat.”
Tansy sighed heavily. “Yes, I agree I need all three but first I need to make sure we are safe. I am going to check out the perimeter of the property and the house b
efore I do any of that. Once I feel we are safe, I’ll find something to eat, grab a quick shower and maybe catch a couple of hours of sleep.”
“No,” Mak said crossing his arms and spreading his legs so Tansy was trapped.
Tansy’s frown turned into a dark scowl. “I beg your pardon?” She bit out through gritted teeth.
“No,” Mak repeated, ignoring the warning in Tansy’s eyes. “I have already checked the perimeter. It is secure. You will eat, bathe, and sleep.”
“Mak, listen to me carefully,” Tansy said pointing a finger into his massive chest. “I don’t take orders from anyone. I haven’t in a long, long time. I will eat when I want, bathe when I want, and sleep when I want. You don’t want to make me mad at you. Understand? You won’t like me very much if you make me mad,” Tansy said making sure she emphasized each point carefully so there could be no misunderstandings.
Mak unfolded his arms and caught Tansy’s small hand in his. “You are undernourished. You have dark circles under eyes from lack of sleep and I can see how exhausted you are. You also have dirt on your face and I need to check your injuries. I did what I could but I was not able to care for you properly,” Mak said gently rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.
Tansy bit back a curse as she jerked her hand away from his. Why the hell did it feel so good, so right whenever the big guy touched her? It was more than pissing her off. Emotions were dangerous. Caring for someone only got you killed, or worse, they got the person you cared about killed. She had to get it through his head that Cosmos may have sent him to help her but that didn’t mean she belonged to him.
“Look, I know Cosmos found you but just because you came along and helped me out does not mean I belong to you. You seem like a really nice guy. I’m sure there are hordes of girls out there that would be happy to be your whatever but I’m just not the settling down type. Guys who hang with me have a tendency to end up dead,” Tansy said honestly. “That’s why they don’t even give me a partner anymore. No one wanted to take a chance.”