Captured Boxed Set: 9 Alpha Bad-Boys Who Will Capture Your Heart
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"Gods! She is gorgeous," Cross murmured in a low voice, peeking over Lodar’s shoulder with wide eyes at Riley’s lush figure. He could feel his dragon sitting up and taking notice. It was a good thing his symbiot was back on Valdier with the Hive. If the damn thing reacted the way the man and the dragon did, Vox might be in trouble.
Vox jerked back to the fact the alarms were blaring around them and glared at Lodar and Cross. His eyes narrowed when he saw the glazed look on their faces as they stared at the sheer cloth covering Riley’s breasts as she turned and sat down again on the bed. He stepped in front of her so he was blocking her.
"Get out!" Vox roared in outrage.
Lodar jerked back, running into Cross, and nodded. He turned to leave but couldn’t resist one more peek at Riley sitting on the bed with her hair all disheveled and wearing an outfit he would never forget for the rest of all his lives. He shook his head and hurried out when Vox took another threatening step toward him.
"Vox—" Cross started to say in a deep, husky voice.
"Get out before I kill you both," Vox snarled.
"Just hurry," Cross muttered before he turned and followed Lodar with a shake of his head.
Vox turned and glared at Riley. "Get dressed. We don’t have much time. I need to get you somewhere safe."
Riley glared at him and pointed to the door. "You get your happy little ass out of here, and I will. I’m not getting naked with you watching me!"
Vox growled out a warning in a low voice. "This is not the time for modesty. Get dressed now, or I will dress you."
Riley stood up and walked over to where she had laid out her clothes the night before. "Turn around and I will," she said stubbornly, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him.
Vox swore loudly before he turned so his back was to her. He had to quit looking at her or neither one of them would be dressed in another two seconds. He closed his eyes, but that only made the image of Riley standing proudly in front of him in that damn sheer outfit with her huge, perky breasts pointing daggers at him and her creamy flesh begging for his touch.
Drink milk, his cat purred.
Guall’s balls. Vox groaned, forcing his eyes open and his mind to start reciting every damn training procedure he could remember from his youth. If I don’t claim her soon I’m going to explode.
"I’m ready," Riley’s voice sounded breathlessly behind him.
Vox turned to see Riley dressed in a long, heavy dark green skirt, a pair of knee-length black boots, and a thick white sweater. Her hair was still a mass of wild curls that begged for him to twist his hands around the silky strands while he fucked her until he and his cat were totally sated. He watched as she pulled that damn huge bag that she carried everywhere over her shoulder.
"Well, are we being invaded or not?" Riley snapped, annoyed. "I haven’t even had a chance to brush my damn teeth. This is really pissing me off," she said running the tip of her tongue along the edges of her smooth, pearly white teeth.
Vox muttered the entire rite of passage ceremony speech each Sarafin warrior was required to say before he finally gave up and decided he needed to get her out of here before he just said to hell with everything and fucked her. He turned with a sharp nod and strode out of the door at the same time as a blast flung the heavy metal door at the far end of the corridor open.
"Run!" Vox snarled as he felt the change coming over him. "Get to the bridge!"
Riley looked at the faces of the purple creatures swarming through the door, turned, and hauled ass for the bridge. She could hear the screams as Vox roared out and charged into the group. Riley decided this was definitely not the way she wanted to be woken up in the mornings. Her heart felt like it was about to explode as she raced through the corridors and up the short ladders until she was on the same level as the bridge. Fred was at the top of the ladder motioning for her to hurry.
"Vox!" Riley cried out as she let Cross reach down and pull her the rest of the way up. "Those purple people eaters are going to get him! Someone has to help him."
"Tor and Lodar are with him. Come up onto the bridge," Banu said gently as he wrapped his arm around Riley and pulled her toward the bridge. "The damn door won’t close, so we are going to have to do what we can to keep them out."
"Do you have a gun?" Riley asked, looking with frightened eyes at the other men who were working frantically on a control panel.
"Here, you can hold this one," Banu said, pressing one into her hands. "Don’t worry, it is not activated."
"Banu, I don’t think giving Riley a laser pistol is a good idea," Fred’s left head started to say before his voice faded at the glare she sent him. "Riley, you know you have a tendency to do things…" His right head decided he’d better not finish the sentence when she pointed the pistol at him and glared.
Vox, Tor, and Lodar tumbled through the open doorway, snapping and snarling. Tor and Lodar shifted back into their two-legged form, but Vox remained in his cat form. He had blood splattered all over his coat and along his muzzle. He turned dark eyes on Riley before he shifted.
He strode over to her, gripping her arm and seating her in front of the communications console. "You will sit there and not move! Do you understand?" he snarled.
"But what if—" Riley began, pushing her hair back behind her ear.
"No!" Vox snapped, turning to place his hands on each side of the chair, caging her in. She was forced to sit back when he leaned forward, menacingly. "You. Will. Not. Move!"
"Well, fine!" she snapped back in frustration. "I wouldn’t want to have to save your sorry ass anyway!" She sniffed indignantly.
Vox leaned forward looking deeply into Riley’s eyes. "I will not let them take you."
"Vox?" Titus asked as he stepped forward in concern.
"They want Riley. We heard several of the bastards stating she was to be captured unharmed," Tor answered for Vox who was still glaring at Riley.
"They have a buyer for her," Lodar said quietly moving to stand next to the door.
"That will explain why there are two of their damn ships," Adur said coolly. "They don’t normally waste two ships on a freighter this old. Someone must have known Riley was on it."
Vox turned his head, finally breaking eye contact with the stubborn female glaring at him. "When I find out who, I am going to kill him."
Riley rolled her eyes and released a loud sigh. "Come on, guys. Get real! Who would want me? I’m about as pleasant as fingernails on a chalkboard."
Bob moved forward and looked over Vox’s shoulder. "I would want you, Riley," he said quietly.
Riley looked up, startled, and blushed. A surprised smile curved her lips at her big green friend’s words. In truth, it was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to her.
"You are such a sweetheart," Riley replied shyly. "Some Jell-O girl some day is going to be very, very lucky when you come calling."
"I don’t believe this!" Vox exploded as a wave of jealousy swept through him. He looked back and forth in frustration between Riley’s glowing face and Bob.
"Vox, I think you are going to have to wait to tear Bob apart," Tor said gruffly trying not to laugh at his friend and leader’s unfortunate luck where Riley was concerned. "We have more company heading this way."
Chapter 11
Vox gave Riley one more warning glance before he pulled away. He had erupted into uncontrollable fury when he heard the command from the Marastin Dow leading the raiding group to get Riley. His comment that a king’s ransom worth of credits was at stake told Vox that they would stop at nothing to get her. The damn purple species lived for murder, mayhem, and credits. The only difference between them and the Antrox was that the Marastin Dow enjoyed killing for the sake of killing. Their young were often encouraged to try to kill each other. Both species’ philosophies were definitely survival of the fittest. It was amazing any of them survived long enough to grow into an adult. The adults who did survive were forced to commit to twenty years aboard raiding ships. Life aboard was not
much better. If a position came open for advancement it was usually due to someone murdering their commanding officer.
He, Tor, and Lodar had taken out the first ten members of the boarding party before the others fell back to regroup. He knew a larger wave would be involved in the next onslaught. He rolled his shoulders, ignoring the sting from the numerous blasts from the lasers. In his cat form, his fur was very thick. It was almost impossible for a laser pistol to penetrate it. Laser swords were a different matter. He had received several deep cuts along his side as he sliced through the group that was surging onto the lower level.
"Whatever happens, do not let them get Riley," Vox snarled before he shifted back into his cat form.
Riley scooted back in her seat when the huge cat turned its tawny eyes to her. It trotted over to her, staring at her intently. If she didn’t know better she would swear the damn thing was challenging her! The look in its beautiful eyes was one of amusement, desire, and possession.
It’s official, Riley thought as she leaned forward, tilting her head to the side as she fell into the shimmering yellow depths. I’ve lost the last of my sanity if I think a cat thinks I’m desirable.
Her pulse jerked as the huge head lowered to rub its muzzle against her leg. She reached out her hand and gently touched the thick fur. She bit her bottom lip to keep the smile from showing when she felt the massive chest rumble with a purr.
Leaning forward, she couldn’t help but whisper in its twitching ear. "You are pretty cute for being a big hairball."
The huge cat jerked its head up and shook it back and forth as if denying it was merely "cute." Vox’s eyes narrowed dangerously before he let his long sandpaper tongue stretch out and run the length of Riley’s cheek, drawing a startled shriek from her. His lips pulled back, showing his long fangs as he reacted to her outrage.
"Vox, here they come," Tor called out, looking down the corridor as Marastin Dow poured from the upper and lower levels.
Bob turned a pale green as he watched what looked like hundreds but was more than likely fifty or more of the beings converge on the bridge. "I will protect Riley with my life," he stammered out.
"Let’s give them hell, boys!" Riley said with false bravado as she stood up to look down the corridor at the mass of purple flesh rushing for them. She let out a squeal when Vox moved back over and pushed her back down into her seat forcefully.
"You will not move!" he snapped out.
"Will you quit changing back and forth!" Riley snapped back, startled. "First you are a man, then you are a cat, then you are a man, then you are a cat. Now you are a man again! Do you have a frigging personality disorder or what?"
Vox opened his mouth to snap back a reply, but he never got a chance before the first group burst through the door. He turned, raising his laser sword, and rushed forward with Banu, Tor, Lodar, Adur, and Titus right beside him. An emergency hatch near the far wall blew upward with enough force the lid sealing it flew through the air, barely missing Fred who had been standing to the right of it. The fact he was so short was probably the only thing that kept him from being killed. Even so, he fell backward. His hands shook as he fired on the purple male coming up through the hole.
"Fred, look out!" Riley cried out as another male popped up behind the one Fred shot.
Riley didn’t think twice, she lifted the laser pistol in her hand, flipped the activation button, and shot, hitting the male between the eyes. She stood up to go help Fred when Vox turned with a loud roar. She froze when she saw his face twist in a savage rage.
"Riley! Sit your big ass down in that chair and don’t move, or so help me I’m going to smack it," Vox roared out over the noise of battle.
Riley fell back into the chair in shock and disbelief. He had done it again! He had told her she had a big ass. Tears of anger and hurt pooled in her eyes before she settled to burning fury. That was it. His ass was toast as far as she was concerned. He had told her she had a big ass at least three times if not more. She knew her ass was big, but there was no need for him to rub it in her face every chance he got. Not only that, he had said it so everyone, friend and enemy, could hear. So help her, she was going to shoot his hairy alien ass the first chance she got. Let him see what it felt like to be on the wrong side of Ms. Riley St. Claire! She would show him.
Riley turned in her chair and crossed her arms, refusing to watch what happened. She would shoot anyone who came near her, and if the battle ended badly—well, she would figure out what to do then. She stared down at all the glowing lights on the panel in front of her. She started when she saw one suddenly light up. Reaching to push it, her mouth dropped open when a deep, sexy male voice came over the line.
"This is the Horizon—do you need assistance?" the deep voice asked as soon as the communications link button was pushed.
Riley glanced behind her at the mayhem of bodies flying through the air. Luckily, it looked like the only ones doing the flying, or falling, appeared to be purple. She shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the console panel. It looked like the guys had things under control, at least for now.
"I’m sorry we can’t come to the phone right now, but if you would like to leave your name and number after the beep we’ll be happy to return your call as soon as possible. BEEP." Riley replied.
Vox’s head turned when he heard Riley’s husky voice talking to someone on the communications console. With his luck, she was probably having a conversation with the Marastin Dow letting them know that they were vastly outnumbered. His gaze turned to a female Marastin Dow as she slipped past Fred, who was battling two of the damn creatures. He pulled a knife from the chest of one of the dead warriors and threw it, striking the female in the chest.
"Riley, who in the gods are you talking to now? You are just supposed to sit there! You aren’t supposed to be touching anything," Vox roared out as he swung his fist and connected with the jaw of another male.
"It’s someone called the Horizon," Riley replied with a wave of her hand.
"Who in the hell is Horizon?" Vox asked as he sliced through the stomach of another male. Guall’s balls, how many more were there going to be? They were having trouble moving around the bodies piling up.
"How the bloody hell am I supposed to know who the hell the Horizon is? You just ordered me to sit here and not move, damn it!" she yelled back.
"Well, stop pushing buttons! The last time you did that you blew up the asteroid we were on, and we ended up on this piece of dragon dung!" Vox huffed out as he ducked when a blade flew at him.
"Well, if you don’t want me pushing the fucking buttons, then don’t put me where I can reach them!" Riley said, turning around and glaring at Vox before she stuck her tongue out at him for added measure.
Laughter sounded from the console behind her reminding Riley that she had never cut the transmission. "I repeat, this is…" the deeply amused voice started to say.
"I know who in the fucking hell you are," Riley bit out in frustration. "I heard you the first time. We are just a little busy at the moment, and there’s a big pussy pissing me off right now. Will you just leave a frigging message, and I’ll have him call you after I declaw his ornery ass?" Riley said before she cursed in rage as Vox sliced through the throat of one of the purple guys who was just a few feet from her. It was so close, blood flew through the air, almost getting on her handbag. "Vox, I swear you need to be neutered! If you get blood on my handbag I’ll do it with the first dull knife I can find. Do you have any idea how much I paid for that damn thing?" She had almost forgiven him for ruining her ultra-expensive jacket, but she would never forgive him if he ruined her handbag. She had paid almost three hundred dollars for it just days before she moved to New Mexico.
Perfect, now the big hairball has shifted into his kitty cat again, Riley thought, peeved. She was about to make another derisive comment when she saw a huge purple guy trying to sneak up on Bob through the hatch in the floor. She twirled around to line up a shot, but Bob was in the way.
"Bob! Look out behind you, sweetie. There’s another ugly purple guy coming up through the hatch." She turned to see who could help him since that guy appeared to be twice the size of the others. "Fred, be a sweetheart and give Bob a hand." She cursed when she saw that Fred had a deep cut on the brow of his right head. "Lodar, baby, I think Fred might have a little cut on one of his heads. There is blood all down the side of it. When you get a chance, can you look at him?" Riley called out to Lodar who was fighting two others on the far side of the bridge. "Tor, darling, why can’t you just zap their asses out into space? I thought you knew how to do things like that," Riley called out, pushing a wave of hair back when it fell into her eyes as she swung back and forth in the chair. She swiveled back around when she heard Lodar’s muffled voice. "What did you say, Lodar? I couldn’t hear you because a certain hairball was making too much noise when you spoke," Riley replied, ignoring Vox’s loud roar at her criticism of him. "Oh yes, dear, I’ll tell Fred you’ll see him as soon as you finish fighting," she replied before swiveling again so she could locate Fred in all the chaos going on. "Fred, honey, Lodar is busy, but he’ll see you as soon as he is done killing the bad guys," Riley called out cheerfully. It looked like there were fewer purple people eaters than there had been just minutes earlier. Her cheerful mood evaporated when Vox sliced his claws across the back of one of the purple bad guys. Blood flew through the air again, this time landing in a splattering along her thick, green skirt. Dark stains appeared, and Riley shuddered in horror. "Vox, damn it, you are totally on my shit list! You got blood on my skirt, you jerk! Go kill someone on the other side of the room. I can shoot the bastards near me! I don’t need your help!" she yelled angrily as she reached into her purse to get a Tide pen out to see if she could get rid of the blood before it stained her skirt. It was the only heavy one she had with her. All the others were too thin to wear since the guys didn’t believe in turning on a damn heater.