His mate was a fighter. She'd proven it with Sergei and she'd proven it to him. He knew he had to be careful or she'd end up getting them all held in confinement.
"Each Phantom is only allowed to bring one mate aboard," he said, waiting to see if she understood.
Tabby gave him a blank look.
"I chose you," he said, though in truth, the goddess had chosen for him.
She didn't move an inch.
He sighed. She wasn’t going to make it easy on him. "I am not allowed to bring any other females onboard."
Her brow arched.
Linx shook his head. At this rate, they'd be to Zaron before she understood. He'd have to take a more direct approach. "I had to smuggle Taylor onto the ship because I knew you'd be unhappy without your twin. What I did is against the law. But I couldn't bear to see you unhappy, when I knew that this one thing would make all the difference."
Tabby stared at him for what felt like an eon, then she slowly smiled and threw herself into his arms. Her fingers tunneled through his hair and she kissed him. "Thank you, Linx. I lov--" The word was cut short as she pressed her lips together.
Linx didn't say anything. He could barely hear over the sound of his hearts pounding. She'd said that she loved him. Or she'd nearly said so. For now, that was enough.
"Let's go see your sister."
Tabby nodded and slowly released him.
* * * * *
Linx led Tabby down a long corridor, which looked much like the interior of their cabin, except there were many doorways leading off the long spine. They ran into a few people, who he greeted formally. He'd introduced her as his mate and she hadn't contradicted him, though part of her still couldn't believe it.
They reached an elevator and went down for what seemed like a million floors. Eventually, they reached the basement or whatever it was called on a ship. The name didn't matter in Tabby's mind because it looked like a basement, a very big basement with a really tall ceiling. There were cargo containers stacked from floor to what she imagined was the ceiling, since she couldn't really see it due to the low lighting.
Shadows pressed in around them as they wound their way through a maze of crates. Eventually, the aisle widened and she spotted two doorways up ahead. Linx held his hand out and stopped her. He paused, staring into the gloom, tilting his head from side to side. A moment later, he glanced at Tabby and nodded.
"It is safe to proceed."
Tabby stepped forward as the door on the right opened. A burly man walked out, his dark, disgruntled gaze landed on them, then he slowly stepped aside. Behind him, huddled on a cot, sat Taylor.
“Any problems?” Linx asked.
“None,” the man said.
Tabby rushed forward. As she drew closer, she recognized the man from the club. Riot. He'd turned into something that made a grizzly look like a child's stuffed toy.
She changed course in order to give the bear a wide berth.
Taylor stood as she walked through the door.
"I thought you were dead." She rushed forward.
Tabby hugged her close. "I thought so, too. Are you okay?"
Taylor glared at Riot’s back. "Yes, but he won't let me leave. And he hasn't told me anything. Where are we?"
Tabby glanced over her shoulder at Linx. She had no idea where to begin or how to explain. She was still trying to process what she’d seen herself. She turned back to Taylor. "We’re safe," she said.
"I am so sorry," Taylor said. Gone was the reckless woman, who'd courted danger on a regular basis. This solemn creature standing before her had replaced her. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. When Sergei tied you up and began to beat on you, I thought we were dead." Tears filled her eyes.
"We very nearly were." If it hadn't been for Linx, they'd have been an unsolved homicide or worse, their bodies would've never been found. And after a few weeks, no one would’ve bothered to look for them.
"Why won't he let me leave?" Taylor asked. "Am I a prisoner?"
Tabby brushed her hair back out of her face. "No, you're not a prisoner, but you weren't exactly brought aboard legally."
Taylor's face paled. "I'm a stowaway?"
"Yes." Tabby nodded. That was as good an explanation as any.
"How long do I have to stay here?" Taylor asked.
Tabby glanced back at Linx once more and frowned. He held up three fingers. She nodded in understanding. "Just a few more days."
"Okay." Taylor slowly sat back down. She looked at her twin, her eyes searching. "Do you know what they are?" she whispered.
Tabby hesitated, then nodded.
Taylor trembled. "Are we in danger?"
She shook her head. “No. That’s the one thing we don’t have to worry about anymore.”
Taylor's narrow shoulders slumped in relief. "Okay. I'll wait until you come and get me."
Tabby grabbed her sister and hugged her tight. "Everything is going to be okay."
Taylor gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess." Her gaze drifted over to the two men, then back to her twin's face.
Tabby met her gaze. "I'm not."
Taylor stared at her for a minute, then finally nodded in understanding. She gave Tabby's hand a quick squeeze, then released her.
"I'll see you soon," Tabby said.
Taylor nodded, then laid back down on the cot.
* * * * *
Taylor had nearly gotten her sister—her twin—killed because of her dangerous taste in men. She'd been so selfish. Never caring about Tabby's feelings or concerns as she jumped from one bad boy to the next.
Well she'd learned her lesson, Taylor thought. It had come at a high price, but she'd finally learned.
She didn't know where they were going, but she trusted Tabby. If she said they weren't in any danger, then she believed her.
Her gaze strayed back to the massive man, who'd been both guard and caregiver since she'd awoke. He watched her closely like he half expected her to sprout horns and breathe fire. Heck, maybe he did.
Taylor was used to men looking at her, leering at her, but this big guy barely gave her a second look. He was here out of duty, not because he wanted to be. And for that she was grateful. It would be a long time before she was ready to jump back into any relationship.
Not that Taylor thought there'd be much chance of that, since the men she'd met thus far weren't human.
She stared at the gray, metallic wall as she reassessed her life. She'd made a lot of mistakes over the years, but she was determined to learn from them. Taylor hoped that eventually Tabby would be able to forgive her, but she knew that wouldn't happen right away. And she couldn't blame her sister one bit.
Taylor needed to prove how much she'd changed. That would take time. She wasn't the silly airhead that let men walk all over her anymore. Staring death in the face helped adjust her outlook on life.
Both she and Tabby had been given a second chance. Taylor was determined not to waste it on any man.
* * * * *
Three days later the ship landed on Zaron. The planet was lush with thick, dark purple grasses that almost looked black and fields of blue flowers. Giant butterflies the size of Frisbees glided through the perfumed air, the flap of their iridescent wings creating a gentle breeze. Two large moons glowed orange against a light green sky. In the distance, Tabby could see the beginnings of a forest buffered by a jagged mountain range.
She was surprised to find so many human women on the planet. Didn’t the Phantoms have women of their own? Or had they been interbreeding with Earth for centuries and no one was the wiser?
The way Linx had spoken Tabby thought that she and Taylor would be the only ones. She was glad that wasn’t the case, but it would take time to adjust to her knew surroundings. The planet’s colors and buildings were alien. Though odd, they seemed to blend together giving the place a rare coherence.
“Better get used to it. This is home now,” she muttered under her breath.
“It grows on you
.” Linx gave her an understanding smile. “I will show you the beauty of this planet. In time, you’ll find it as remarkable as your own.”
She already did, but that didn’t stop her from missing Earth. Tabby glanced around at the kaleidoscope of colors, determined to make the best of it. She hoped her twin did the same. "What’s going to happen with Taylor?" she asked.
Linx looked at her. "I will get her as soon as you're settled."
He escorted her to a complex that resembled a giant palace. There were wings that jutted off from the main hub. Each wing was filled with hundreds of apartments, but they weren't like any apartments that Tabby had ever seen.
Linx's apartment was more like a penthouse suite from the finest hotels. It was spacious, luxurious and held a bathroom fit for a king.
"This is your home?" Tabby asked in disbelief.
"Do you like it?" His pride was evident, but insecurity shadowed his eyes.
"I love it. It's just so..." She looked around at the grandeur. "Big."
He smiled then. "Plenty of room for a family," he said softly, but she heard him all the same.
Tabby gave him a startled glance, but didn't respond.
Linx walked up behind her and wrapped her in his arms. "Do you want a family?" It was a casual question, but there was nothing casual about the grip he had on her.
"Someday." Tabby had always wanted a family. It's why she'd fought so hard to keep Taylor in her life. They only had each other. She leaned back and realized that was no longer true. "Yes," she said.
His grip on her tightened as he nuzzled her neck. "Would you like to get started now?"
Tabby laughed, but her laughter was cut short as Linx latched onto her earlobe, sucked it between his teeth, and purred. A shiver of desire sped from her ear down her spine, igniting the growing flame inside of her. "I think I can be talked into it."
"No words are necessary for what I have planned," he growled. His sharp teeth grazed the side of her throat. One second he was behind her, the next he stood in front of her. Tabby's whole body tingled. "How did you?"
Before she could finish her question, Linx slid his palms under her butt and lifted her into the air. Their gazes met and held as he carried her into the bedroom. He laid her down gently and kissed her. "Thank you."
Tabby frowned. "For what?"
"For trusting me," he said.
She pulled back and looked at him. "It wasn't that hard. I've always been a cat lover."
Linx sat back and his lips canted. Heat filled his eyes as he crooked a finger, beaconing her closer. "Well then come here, my little Tabby cat and show me what you've got."
Tabby did, and afterwards she'd lay money that the whole palace heard Linx yowl.
# # #
ATLANTEAN’S QUEST BK. 5: THE DARK KING
SNEAK PEEK
Linx stepped into the dank cavern. Flames lit the walls, casting long shadows over the wet rock. Taylor hesitated, then followed him inside.
"Remember what I told you," Linx said.
Taylor glanced at him. "I will."
"I'll bring Tabby as soon as I'm able to petition the Atlanteans for your status change. I have no doubt that once they hear the circumstances under which you came here, they will accept you as a citizen," Linx said. "But it will take time."
Taylor snorted. "Bureaucracy exists everywhere in the universe."
Linx smiled, but his grin faded as a regiment of towering guards came into view. They stood in front of a massive metal door that looked like something from medieval earth. He stepped forward and stopped. "Phantom Warrior Linx, here to see the Dark King," he said in a loud voice as if announcing himself.
"What brings you here, Phantom?" the nearest guard asked. His eyes glowed aqua in the darkness and were just as cold as a glacier.
"I have an appointment with the King," Linx said.
“One moment.” The guards blocked his entrance.
They waited for a few minutes, then the guards slowly parted.
* * * * *
Taylor had never been more terrified in her life. She wasn't sure what was on the other side of that great door, but she knew it wasn't anything good.
She took a steadying breath, when Linx looked back at her and nodded.
He stepped forward and she followed on his heels. They were stopped and frisked before they were allowed to go through the door.
Linx glared at the guard who was a little too thorough in his frisking of her, but he didn't say a word. Taylor gave him a small reassuring smile, even though she was trembling by the time he finished.
She thought about the pain and horror Tabby had gone through. If her twin could live through that, then Taylor knew she could survive whatever came next.
Linx stepped through the door. When she reached his side, he took her hand and placed it on his arm to formally escort her inside. Taylor looked at him and frowned, but didn't say anything. She was too shocked by what lay beyond the cavern door.
The journey in had been all cave, but somehow the door had transformed the cave into some kind of sultan's palace with plump red pillows, hanging tapestries, and thick black rugs lining the long aisle. Taylor visually followed the row of rugs to...she squinted. Was that a throne?
Of course it's a throne, silly. You're about to meet a King. She'd never met a King before. How did one behave? Sure she'd seen royalty on the television, but were they the same here?
Fear and trepidation slowed her steps as the throne came into view. It was neither gold nor silver. Instead, the seat was made up of a spider web of steel with skulls for feet. This wasn’t the throne of a King. This was the throne of a barbarian. Fortunately, Linx was there to keep her moving or Taylor would’ve turned and run back out.
As they approached, she saw that the throne was empty. A dark-haired man with a fight-carved face sat beside it, lounging insolently against the base. He was a study in muscle, though Taylor doubted that he'd ever stepped foot inside a gym.
Was this one of the King's private guards? He looked the part. Built for sheer brute force without all the frivolousness of subtly. She had no doubt he wasn't one to mess with. He looked like he could crush skulls with his bare hands until all that remained was bone dust.
His gaze started at the top of her head, resting momentarily on her full breasts until they hardened in awareness, before proceeding to her toes. He reversed direction without saying a word and stopped when he reached her face. Taylor shivered under his uncompromising regard and hated that it wasn’t because of the cool, damp air.
In her old life, he was the type of man that she would've been attracted to. She would’ve gone out of her way to catch his attention...but not anymore. She’d learned her lesson and it had very nearly cost her everything she held dear. She forced herself to meet his eyes. Something odd flared in the blue depths before being carefully banked. The man’s unflinching gaze slowly moved from her to Linx.
“I thought you said the King was expecting us,” she said under her breath, hoping that only Linx could hear her.
“He is,” the man leaning against the base of the throne said. He rose and slowly walked to the front of the throne and sat down in the seat, resting his hands on the thick metal webs.
"Your Highness." Linx gave the man a short bow.
Taylor's mouth dropped open. This was the King. It couldn't be. Kings didn't look like cage fighters. Kings were soft, well-spoken, pampered. She glanced around the room. Okay, so maybe he did pamper himself a little, but that was as far as the stereotype went. Her gaze returned to the fierce looking throne.
"If I grant you this favor, then we are even," the Dark King said.
"Thank you, Your Highness. I will be back to retrieve her as soon as possible." Linx gave Taylor a warning glare.
"Thank you for allowing me to stay, Your Highness," Taylor said with a quick curtsy.
“What are you called?” the King asked.
“My name is Taylor.”
“You may call me Hades.”
/> Taylor stared at him for a few seconds. She couldn’t have heard him correctly. “Excuse me, did you say Hades? Is that because you live in a cave?”
“No. It’s because it’s my name.” He shot a pointed look at Linx.
Linx sighed. “Forgive her impertinence, Sire.”
The King looked at her again, his blue eyes boring into her until Taylor felt naked. "The Phantom Warrior tells me that you have given up your wild Earth ways."
Taylor glared at Linx, then turned back to the King. "That is correct, Your Highness."
He stared at her.
“I mean, Hades,” she corrected.
"Pity," he said, clearly bored with the whole conversation. "I had hoped for a distraction."
Taylor's temper flared before she could stop it. "Well you won't find one here," she spat.
Linx's eyes widened and he glared at her.
The Dark King threw his head back and laughed. "That remains to be seen." He looked at Linx. "You are dismissed."
Linx hesitated, clearly torn about whether he should stick around. He shook his head, then gave the King another short bow. "Behave," he hissed under his breath at Taylor.
He started it. "I will." She shot him a heated glance. "Maybe you should give his ‘Royal Badass’ the same advice. I think he could use it."
* * * * *
His debt to Linx now satisfied, Hades stared at the Earth woman that he’d promised to keep safe. Long, flowing dark red hair framed her pale face. She had oddly colored eyes, neither brown nor green, but somewhere floating in the middle. They bore no resemblance to the Atlantean women or the Phantoms, but they were striking in their own way.
He’d read her thoughts easily, when she stepped forward into the chamber. She hadn’t believed him to be a King, but that was nothing new, since half the Atlanteans and Phantoms agreed and chose to follow Eros.
In their eyes, Hades would always be a Halfling, neither Phantom nor Atlantean. A mistake. But their opinions would change quickly, if Zaron was ever under attack. For Hades was good at one thing, better than anyone else—war.
Jordan Summers Page 11