Beauty and the Beast: Interstellar Brides® Program: The Beasts - 3

by Goodwin, Grace

  I licked my dry lips. “Who are you, and where am I?”

  He jerked to his full height at my questions and turned on me with a snarl, fangs now in full view. They were all I could see. It was like coming face-to-face with a bad guy vampire in a movie. Who kidnapped the innocent—and obviously—clueless human. I didn’t know tons about different space races, but fangs? What planet had vampires?

  “If you were going to bite me with those canines from hell, or kill me, you would have done so already. So, please, tell me where I am and why.” I kept my voice soft and nonthreatening, because the truth was, I was no threat. He was well over a foot taller than me. Not as tall as Bahre but still huge. Not human. A serious threat. He could kill me with his bare hands. Or those fangs. I didn’t know where I was or why I’d been taken.

  He tilted his head when I didn’t look away from him or his fangs, as if considering what to tell me. Eventually he shrugged, closed his mouth, and put those stupid fangs away. If he was going for scary, he had a long way to go before he could make me worry.

  Fine, I was scared, but I wasn’t going to show it. He seemed to feed off that.

  I had to hold out hope. Bahre would come for me. I knew he would in my gut, at a bone-deep level. This jerk was obviously an alien, too. He’d said as much in my dressing room. If he thought he could take on my warlord, he was going to be dead wrong.

  As in both dead and wrong.

  The alien bowed like a gentleman at court. “My name is Lukabo. I am a member of Siren Legion of Rogue 5.” His words sounded strange, but somehow I understood him. He must have seen my confusion because he tapped the back of his ear, exactly where I hurt. “I implanted an NPU while you were unconscious. The translation device will allow you to speak to all known races.”

  I had a universal translator in my head now? No wonder I had a headache. He’d spoken English in the makeup room but was speaking something else now. Whatever they spoke on Rogue 5 was far from my high school’s foreign language offerings.

  Intrigued, I tried to process what I was hearing. “Rogue 5? That’s a moon, right?”

  He nodded once. Decisively. “Yes. Rogue 5 is the moon that orbits Hyperion. My ancestors bred with the natives on that planet.” He lifted his hand to his lips. “Hence, the fangs.”

  So he was Hyperion, or at least half, so not a vampire.

  Fascinating. His words were an odd mixture of growling and guttural words. The newscaster in me wanted to ask a million questions; however, I really only needed one answer at the moment. “So, are we on Rogue 5?”

  He gave a quick smile. “Not yet. We are on Transport Station Zenith. A space station near Rogue 5.”

  I was on a space station? Like a huge moving ship with lots and lots of people? Holy shit. I turned and slipped my feet into my high heels and stood, walking to what looked like might be a window. No luck. It was dark and gray. Blank. Some kind of screen. I turned to face Lukabo, feeling better with my heels on. Stupid? Maybe, but I wasn’t going to question the smallest ounce of courage I could muster. “Why am I here? I don’t know you. You don’t know me. You obviously don’t intend to harm me, so what’s going on?”

  He chuckled, although he didn’t seem to find me ha-ha funny. “You are not my target, that is true. Warlord Bahre murdered my father and my brother. I have been tracking him for nearly a year.”

  I felt as if he’d punched me in the stomach. His words couldn’t be true. “What?” Murdered? As in, killed in cold blood? I shook my head. My hair, which Ellen had finished styling for my on-air segment right before his appearance, fell now about my shoulders. “No way.”

  If Bahre had harmed this man’s family, then they had to have been doing something terrible. I had to believe that. Bahre looked like a beast, was scarred and marked from battle, but he was a good man. Or alien. “What did they do?”

  Lukabo advanced on me with a true snarl and a speed that surprised me. I jerked backward, my head hitting the cold, hard surface behind me. “They were conducting Siren business.”

  I frowned. I understood his words but not what they meant.

  “What kind of business? The illegal kind?”

  His gaze narrowed as if using the word illegal had hurt his feelings. “The kind that keeps my people safe and fed.” Seeming to have gained some control, he crossed his arms and simply stared. “You are a very interesting female. No wonder there is so much talk of human mates.”

  Human mates to a guy like him? Um… were they advertised in the Interstellar Brides marketing? “There is?” Curious again, I crossed my own arms, mimicking his stance. “What do they say about human women?”

  “That you are fearless, adaptable, passionate, loyal, and very hard to acquire.”

  Well, that didn’t sound so bad. He’d acquired me too darn easily, but I wasn’t going to mention that. “So if I’m not your enemy, what am I doing here?”

  “You, female, are bait. I will lure Warlord Bahre to this station. You are his mate. He will come. Then I will kill him and avenge my family. After, I will deliver you to Cerberus. He has promised a very high price.”

  Who was Cerberus? He wanted to buy me?

  “If I don’t agree to cooperate?”

  Lukabo actually threw back his head and laughed, the sound pure evil. Light glinted off his fangs. For the first time since I woke up on this space station, I was afraid. Not so much for me—I was used to crazy assholes threatening me. It was strange, but I was almost numb. I seemed to attract lunatics, and the fact that I was getting used to it was pretty sad.

  My fear was for Bahre. Because this crazy alien stalker—and he just admitted he’d been stalking Bahre for the last year—was right about one thing. Bahre would come for me. That was a fact.

  We were in this room because we had to wait. Lukabo was more patient than me. I was eager for Bahre, craved him. But seeing him could mean his death. I dropped onto the bed and stared at Lukabo for several minutes, sizing him up. He was huge compared to humans, but not an Atlan. His fangs were interesting but not really going to help him in a fight. I had to have faith that Bahre would know what he was doing when he got here. Still, I was worried. I wasn’t going to underestimate Lukabo.

  When Bahre did show, I knew he wouldn’t come alone. He wasn’t stupid. And he had friends. Big freaking Atlan friends who would tear this stupid space station apart to find me.

  I folded my hands in my lap, took some deep cleansing breaths I’d learned in yoga. All I could do now was wait for my guy to come bust me out of this joint. And tear this alien vampire creep into pieces.

  9

  Bahre, Transport Station Zenith, Private Apartment

  “Wait just a moment, Bahre.” Dr. Helion stood, focused inwardly on his thoughts, which I’d seen him do often. The only being in the Intelligence Core who had more voluntary implants than I did was the good doctor himself, so he could be using some sense, some integration I didn’t even know about, as a basis for his plan. He was here now and could make plans accordingly. It annoyed the shit out of me, but had made him what he was. An asshole but good at his job. I had no idea what he was truly capable of. I didn’t want to know.

  “I’m finding my mate, and I’m done,” I said. I didn’t break the chain of command. Never had. Not until now. Always followed orders. Day after day I was one of Helion’s weapons. No longer.

  “We’ll discuss your status after we retrieve your female,” he countered.

  I shook my head. “No. I’m done. I’m taking her to Atlan where I can protect her properly. No more missions.”

  “You have not been released from active duty, Warlord. You were sent to Earth to lay low for a while, not broadcast your mating on every comm on every planet in the galaxy.”

  Lay low for a while? That’s what he called the Bachelor Beast program and the intention to use Atlan beasts to increase human volunteers to the Interstellar Brides Program?

  The roar my beast released at the doctor made the Hunters step back, hands on their weapons. D
r. Helion didn’t even flinch. “She is unharmed. We have time. I have her coordinates.”

  Time? Every second my mate was in the hands of my enemies was pushing me closer to losing control. My shoulders snapped back. I’d been ready to tear apart the ship to find her, but he was luring me into following his orders by sharing this. It worked. “Tell me.”

  He held up his hand. “No. First, you will listen to me.”

  “Tell me!” I grabbed the Prillon doctor by the neck and picked him up off the floor. My beast and I were in agreement. This fucking asshole had exceeded our patience.

  Helion didn’t even kick his feet. Didn’t struggle. Only looked me in the eye. “Calm down, Bahre.”

  “I am calm. You, of all people, know that.” I spoke true. My beast was my beast. I never lost control. That fact made me dangerous, even more dangerous than my warlord brothers. Their beasts, when riled, could lose control. If I ripped an enemy’s head off, it was because I wanted to.

  “We both know you aren’t going to kill me,” he replied. “You are only delaying saving your mate. Put me down.”

  Fuck.

  I set the Prillon doctor on his feet, and the Hunters visibly relaxed. Tane, however, was battling his own beast at my show of aggression. I looked him in the eye and nodded that I was calm. There was no sense triggering Tane to go into battle frenzy when Dr. Helion was correct. I would not kill him. At least, not yet. “If you do not tell me where my mate is, Doctor, I might become unreasonable.”

  After our arrival, Dr. Helion had led us to a small, private apartment that I had been in too many times before. He kept this place mission ready and free of surveillance equipment. We’d used it before as our base of operations in this far reach of the galaxy. I’d never expected to come here for a mission to rescue my mate. Never.

  When we walked inside, the two massive Hyperion hybrids walked around us and took the nearest available chairs. Instinctively my hand tightened on the ion rifle. I knew from experience it would only slow them down, but it would sting like fuck. Piss them off. If they moved one foot in the wrong direction, I’d make them suffer for it.

  “Styx. Blade. Thank you for answering my call,” Helion said.

  By the gods, Helion had invited them? Called in a favor, or would owe one? What kind of game was he playing with my mate’s life?

  I had heard of the legendary leader of Styx Legion on Rogue 5 and his second. They shared a human female mate, as Prillons would. How that had happened, I did not know nor did I care. Their female was not here. Was not in danger. Which meant they were in a far better position than I.

  Styx leaned back in his chair, arms crossed like he was king of the station. “Helion. After this, you owe me.” His voice was deep. Serious. This wasn’t a friendly visit.

  Helion tipped his chin. “Agreed.”

  I didn’t ask. Apparently Dr. Helion was willing to owe these two a favor. They weren’t the only ones. Helion made deals all over the universe. Some with kings. Some with criminals. I had no idea how he kept track of it all.

  “Where is the female?” Styx asked.

  The female? My beast grumbled low. “My mate’s name is Quinn.”

  The other fanged male, Blade, I assumed, inclined his chin just enough to show respect—barely. “Apologies, Warlord. We, too, are mated to a human female. She insisted we help you on this mission. We are on your side.”

  “Else she will kick us out of her bed.” Styx’s voice held no humor.

  Behind me, Tane laughed, as did one of the Hunters. I glanced behind me at the Hunter, Quinn, who tilted his chin down. “My mate, Vice Admiral Niobe, is part human.” He smiled. “And my name is also Quinn.”

  “I know who you are.” I snorted. “You have a female’s name.”

  Wisely he did not argue. I turned to face Helion and the two Hyperion males from Styx Legion. “We are wasting time. You said you have Quinn’s coordinates.”

  Helion ignored me. “Styx, have your spies confirmed the details of Lukabo’s arrangement with Cerberus?”

  Styx nodded. “Yes. The female”—he cleared his throat and started over—“Quinn is worth a fortune. We cannot allow Lukabo to take her off the station. We will have to lure Cerberus to us.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” I moved to grab Helion again, fucking done with his games. This time he must have recognized the look in my eyes because he stepped back and held out his hands in front of him.

  “Bahre, listen to me. We can’t barge in there and take Lukabo. He took her because of his hatred for you, but there’s more going on here. This is bigger than you and Quinn. Cerberus has tried to kidnap multiple human women. He murdered a matched Trion male and had that male’s human Interstellar Bride kidnapped and taken to the Planet Occeron in Sector Zero.”

  “The Omega Dome?” I asked. The shudder that moved through my body was real. The remnants of civilization on the planet Occeron were a scourge. Nothing good happened at Omega Dome. They fought one another for food, weapons, females, and medicine like half-dead animals fighting over rotting scraps.

  “Yes. She was not the first human female he has tried to acquire. Cerberus must be stopped. If he does not get Quinn, he will wait for another human female. It must end now.”

  Styx nodded in agreement. “When the former leader of Cerberus was eliminated, we expected his second, Jillela, to take over. Instead a Xeriman hybrid challenged and won. The new Cerberus leader is obsessed with finding a human mate. As Helion said, he will not stop. We will have to kill him.”

  Fuck. I did not want my mate to be in danger, but Cerberus had kidnapped an Interstellar Bride? The poor female had been taken to Omega Dome? I couldn’t not fathom Quinn in such a place. They were correct, Cerberus must die.

  The idea of a human female made a slave was not something we stood for. No male of worth in the Coalition harmed our females, no matter the planet. We may have all been from different planets and races, but it was in our DNA to protect.

  But Cerberus? The worst of the worst who safely went about his evil from Rogue 5. The planet no one went to. Even the Intelligence Core steered clear most of the time.

  “His attempt to purchase the human at Omega Dome failed, but he has redoubled his efforts. Lukabo took Quinn for Cerberus.”

  “Lukabo took Quinn because he seeks revenge against me,” I said. “His family deals in drugs and weapons, not slaves.”

  “True. But what better way to hurt you while making a friend in Cerberus?”

  What better way, indeed? He would get the vengeance he desired as well as credits and an alliance with Cerberus. I would rip Lukabo’s head from his shoulders for what he has done to my mate.

  “We need to get to her before this happens,” I countered.

  “I agree. It will be almost impossible to save her once she is on that moon base.”

  I clenched my hands into fists, trying to keep my beast from coming out and knocking my friends out of the way.

  “Then we find her. Now. I will finish Lukabo.”

  “I will allow it, but we want Cerberus as well.”

  “First, we free Quinn. I don’t give a fuck about anything but my mate.”

  “That is why I am here,” Helion said. “We will find your mate. Rescue her. But we need Cerberus to believe Lukabo is alive, has your mate, and is considering giving her to Styx and Blade instead of him.”

  “As long as it’s clear. I don’t care what you make Cerberus believe. You believe this; Lukabo will die. I will see his head separated from his body.”

  Helion’s chin tipped up. “He kidnapped your mate. He will die for it. You may have him. But I want Cerberus.”

  “Do whatever you want once Quinn is safe. I don’t fucking care.”

  Helion stared at me, considering. “I would like to speak to your mate once she is safe and settled.”

  “No.”

  “She may have some insight into Lukabo’s plans.”

  “No.”

  “We may need her.”<
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  And there it was, the truth. Helion wanted Cerberus so badly he would risk my life, Quinn’s life, the lives of every male in this room to see Cerberus dead.

  “Doctor, I will remove your head from your body if you so much as ask Quinn to crush an insect beneath her shoe without consulting me. Do. You. Understand?”

  His shoulders actually slumped. “Gods be damned, Bahre. You’re supposed to be the reasonable Atlan.”

  Tane chuckled. “He has a mate now, Doctor. There is nothing more important to an Atlan. Nothing.” Tane moved to stand next to me, his shoulder touching mine. He wasn’t as thick, nor quite as tall, but he was an Atlan warlord and we towered over every other male in the room. “If he decides to kill every single one of you, I’ll help him do it.” Tane glared at Dr. Helion. “Just so we’re clear.”

  Helion ignored the threat, as usual, but I knew better. He was not a stupid Prillon. He was a fucking genius. Which meant he had figured out I was deadly serious about protecting Quinn. “If you don’t tell me where she is in the next two minutes, I will tear the data chip out of your head and find her myself.”

  “Yes, yes.” Helion walked to a screen mounted on one wall and pulled up a schematic of the station. Every room. Every corridor. Every tube, tunnel, and storage space. “She is here.” He pointed. “On level six. She is alone with Lukabo.” He adjusted the settings, and two heat signatures appeared inside the room. One large and pacing. The other petite and still.

  Quinn.

  My beast growled, ready to go, but Helion held up his hand. “Wait, Bahre. There is more.” He adjusted the settings on his data pad again, and another image appeared. This was of a large blue Xeriman female—with fangs. She was larger than most Viken males. The video showed her stepping off a transport pad on the opposite side of the station.