Coletti Warlords: Just Desserts

by Gail Koger

  Fifty minutes later, I had my hair somewhat tamed, makeup on, and was wearing a ceremonial battle suit that fit like a glove. Damn. I still looked pregnant.

  “Kaylee! Help…us,” Soulet cried.

  Throwing open my Siren senses, I searched Zarek’s battle cruiser, and the second I located her, I teleported.

  A fleeting second of black, and I stood in Hank and Soulet’s living quarters.

  Agonized cries came from the bedroom.

  I drew my weapon and rushed into the room.

  Violent muscle spasms contorted Soulet’s body. Her arms and legs slammed repeatedly against the floor.

  “Who stunned you?”

  “My brother, Tihar. He…he…took Hank,” Soulet moaned, tears leaking down her face.

  “Why?”

  “Broke…marriage…contract. I’m…now…Yunnan. Shunned. Tihar blames…Hank. He…will…kill.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll get Hank back.” Should I let Talree know what was going on? Nah. He’d shoot Tihar, which would piss off Sariel big-time.

  “Tihar is so…angry,” Soulet gasped.

  “Men have a tendency to get that way, but don’t worry.” I rubbed the tattoo Tihar had given me. “Your brother and I have a special relationship.” I hit the medical alert button. “Shrek, I need you.”

  “Coming,” he answered.

  “Shrek will give you a shot that’ll fix you right up, Soulet.”

  “Please. I…I…can’t…lose…him.”

  “You won’t.” I focused on finding her bad-tempered brother. “Gotcha.”

  Poof. I was suddenly standing in the Askole’s version of a jail. One wall was covered with truly scary torture instruments. The other held the control center with monitors showing all the cells. My gaze zeroed in on the third screen. Tihar had a massive hand wrapped around Hank’s throat and was squeezing the life out of him.

  My communication bracelet chirped urgently. I ignored it and popped into the cell.

  Hank’s face was an ominous purple color as he pried frantically at the fingers choking him.

  “Let him go, Tihar.”

  “He dishonored my sister, soft skin.”

  “No, you did when you sold her off to that old pervert.” I grabbed Tihar’s balls and squeezed. “Let him go. Now.”

  Tihar’s yellow-green eyes darkened with pain. “Kall is an honored member of my father’s council.”

  “Was. He’s very dead now.”

  “This one killed him?”

  “Talree and Zarek fried his brains when he attacked me.”

  Tihar dropped Hank. “He attacked you?”

  Hank shuddered and sucked in great gulps of air.

  “And my son. His mind was as rotted as his body.” I flashed Tihar his sister’s memories of Kall’s sagging gray skin and the oozing, open sores on his private parts.

  “Does my father know this?”

  “I don’t know.” I released Tihar’s balls.

  He cupped himself gingerly. “You have a grip like an Afula.”

  “Gee, thanks.” Being compared to an alien alligator was so flattering.

  Tihar’s long tentacles squirmed about his head. “How did Soulet and the human end up mated?”

  I kept a wary eye on his tentacles. “Hank’s Coletti, and Soulet’s breeding cycle started after she rescued us from the Tai-Kok ship.”

  “A mating frenzy?”

  “Big-time.”

  Talree’s furious voice reverberated around my skull. “Kaylee, what are you doing?”

  “Having a ‘come to Jesus’ talk with Tihar.”

  Twenty seconds later, Zarek and Talree appeared beside me.

  “Guys, I have it under control.”

  Zarek’s cold eyes surveyed Hank. “Do you?”

  Hank struggled to his feet and croaked, “Soulet?”

  “Shrek is treating her in sick bay,” Talree responded, tossing me an angry glare.

  Hank vanished.

  “Maybe I should go check on her too.” I winced when Talree clamped a hard hand around my neck. “Or not.”

  Tihar met Talree’s and Zarek’s menacing gazes calmly. “I would never harm Kaylee.”

  Talree bared his fangs. “That is the only reason you still live.”

  I let out a long sigh. Testosterone at its finest.

  “Soulet belongs to my clan now, and you will treat her with respect,” Zarek growled.

  “Kall told us the human had forcibly taken Soulet. I was honor bound to kill him.”

  “Honor? Are you kidding me? You stunned Soulet and told her she was Yunnan. What’s up with that?”

  “They had sex,” Tihar rumbled.

  I cocked an incredulous brow. “Really? How many females have you had sex with?”

  Tihar stared at me for a moment in blank disbelief. “I’m a warrior.”

  “So is Soulet.”

  “In our culture, females cannot obtain warrior status.”

  He walked right into that one. I tapped my tattoo. “Gosh, I’m considered an Askole warrior. Soulet’s a fighter pilot, expert shot, and damned good in combat.” I shrugged. “I don’t know about you, but that fits my definition of a warrior.”

  “But, our customs—”

  I cut him off. “Suck. Soulet will make a great Coletti.”

  Tihar’s bloodcurdling roar shook the cell. “Never. My father will never allow it.”

  Whoa! Tihar certainly had a healthy pair of lungs. “You gave up all your rights to Soulet when you shunned her.”

  His tentacles flared out around his head. “Our DNA is stronger.”

  I replied sweetly, “Is it?”

  Laughter dancing in his eyes, Zarek raised his hand. “Enough, Kaylee. Go check on Hank. We’ll follow shortly.”

  “Yes, sir.” I looked up at Talree.

  He released his grip on my neck. “We’ll talk later.”

  “Yippee.” I teleported to sick bay.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Shrek, our medic, had green skin, Asian features, and tubular ears. His name always made me want to giggle insanely, but he was a truly gifted healer and definitely not an ogre.

  “How’s Soulet doing?”

  He jumped about a foot. “Must you sneak up on me?”

  I grinned. “You’re on a ship loaded with teleporting Colettis. You should be used to it by now.”

  “I’m not.” Shrek huffed.

  “Sorry. My bad. Was Soulet’s baby injured by the stun beam?”

  “No, but her mate is not taking the news of her pregnancy well.”

  The doors to the care unit swished open, and Hank stormed out.

  Soulet shouted, “I have never lied to you! The baby is yours.”

  Men were such idiots. I ran after him. “Hank! Dammit, stop.”

  He whirled around. “Did you know she’s pregnant?”

  “Yeah, what’s the big deal?”

  Hank’s brows came together in a fierce line. “How can I be sure it’s mine?”

  “The fact you’ve been humping like rabbits?”

  The muscles in his jaw knotted. “It could also be Kall’s.”

  “Nah, his junk’s so rotted his little swimmers are dead. Plus, Soulet would slit her own throat before she allowed that pervert to touch her.”

  “Slit her own throat, huh?” Hank rubbed a hand over his battered face. “I’ve always wanted a child of my own, but…”

  “Something wrong with your swimmers?”

  A look of acute discomfort crossed Hank’s face. “No, it’s just… We’re not even the same species.”

  “Are you a bigot?” I kept my expression bland.

  “I was the commander of Earth First.”

  “Yet you asked Zarek to convert you,” I countered.

  “I couldn’t lose Bree.”

  “Because you loved her, you made the ultimate sacrifice?”

  Hank gave me a weary smile. “She’s my daughter. I would do anything to make her happy.”

  “And you knew s
he was a half-breed, right?” I hid a grin at his aggravated frown.

  “Yes.”

  I hammered my point home. “Did that make you love her any less?”

  “God, no.”

  “So what’s the problem? Even if the little guy turns out to be a half-breed, you’re gonna love him.”

  “I’ve always wanted a son,” Hank admitted.

  A dazzling blue light filled the corridor. When it faded, Tihar stood there.

  This was so not good. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve come for Soulet.”

  “She’s not going anywhere with you.” Hank’s eyes were cold with menace.

  Tihar’s tentacles writhed furiously about his head. “You think you can stop me, human?”

  “Yes.”

  They squared off like gunslingers out of the old Wild West.

  I was quicker on the draw. Zap. Zap.

  A crackling red energy storm engulfed both warriors. They collapsed to the deck as violent muscle spasms contorted their bodies.

  “I’ve had it with your macho bullshit. You are going to learn to play nice, or I’m gonna—”A wave of dizziness rolled over me. I braced myself against the wall. “Whoa. The head rush from hell.” And what was that smell? Some kind of gas?

  A mechanical voice declared, “Intruder alert. Intruder alert. All warriors to battle stations.”

  “Fuck. We’re under attack again.”

  Hank gasped, “Queen…Mother?”

  “I’m not sure. Something is screwing with my Siren senses. Kinda feels like Drakash.” Thor! I tried to link with Talree, but I was locked in a weird kind of limbo where nothing seemed to work. I fell to the floor.

  Step. Thump. Step. Thump.

  What the hell? Frowning, I managed to turn my head slightly and watched a lumpy form in a biohazard suit limp toward us.

  Step. Thump. Step. Thump.

  It stood over me and honked triumphantly.

  Mog. Fuck. Everything faded away.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Momma! Wake up!” Thor cried. “Daddy yelling.”

  My eyes popped open. God, why did my skull hurt? Every bone in my body protested as I struggled to rise. Ugh, it felt like I had been dropped. Several times. On my head.

  Thor’s voice went up an octave. “Momma!”

  “I’m awake. Stop yelling.” I groaned.

  “Where you are?”

  “Good question.” I surveyed the rock walls surrounding me, then looked up. Wonderful. “I’m in a pit.”

  Haki asked, “What pit?”

  I rubbed my throbbing forehead. “It’s a hole in the ground.”

  “How get there?”

  The kid never stopped. “Mog. I think. Everything’s kinda fuzzy.”

  “Grandpa want know where Hank?”

  “I don’t know. Why isn’t your father asking these questions?”

  “Daddy can’t link. Me and Haki only talk with Momma.”

  “Whoopee.”

  Thor’s voice quivered. “Momma mad?”

  “With Mog, sweetie. Not you.”

  “’Kay. You get out?”

  “I’m gonna try.” I opened my mind and reached out. My link with Talree was definitely not working, but I could sense Hank. “Tell your daddy Hank’s nearby.”

  “Me tell.”

  Concentrating fiercely, I focused on teleporting out of the pit and poof. A flash of black, and I was free. Yippee! I still had most of my Siren powers. The big question was, how was Mog blocking me from contacting Talree?

  A moan had me spinning around. Hank and a badly beaten Tihar hung limply from chains embedded in the rocky wall.

  Talk about déjà vu. I hurried over to them. The Askole was out cold.

  Turning my attention to Hank, I snapped my fingers in front of his face. “You in there?”

  His eyelids fluttered.

  I slapped him. “Hey! Rise and shine.”

  Hank jerked to his feet and eyed me groggily. “What?”

  I enunciated slowly. “Are. You. Okay.”

  He scowled. “You. Stunned. Me.”

  Without a smidgen of remorse, I nodded. “I did, and if you don’t stop acting like a hormonal teenager, I’m gonna zap you again.”

  “You had no right to interfere in my business.”

  “See? That’s what I mean. You were the legendary commander of Earth First. A great tactician who ran circles around the Colettis for years. Your battle plans even impressed my uncle, a four-star general. What happened to that guy?”

  “Soulet happened,” Hank retorted.

  What a crybaby. I reined in my temper and said calmly, “A valid point, but I really need that tactical genius now.”

  There was a note of embarrassment in Hank’s voice, as if he realized he was acting like a wuss. “Yes, ma’am. I won’t let you down, ma’am.”

  “Good. Can you link with Zarek or Talree?”

  “Not since that fucking Askole stung me.”

  I threw up my hands. Why did I even try? “When did Tihar do that?”

  “Just before he started his beat down,” Hank snarled.

  “Momma out?”

  “I am. Tell your father I found Uncle Hank and Uncle Tihar.”

  “’Kay.”

  Hank inquired, “They’re communicating with you through the kid?”

  “The link between a mother and her child is pretty much unbreakable.”

  “Smart move.”

  My Siren senses tingled wildly. “We need to get out of here before that crazy cyborg comes back.”

  “Mog’s behind this?”

  “Yep, but he had to have some inside help.”

  “The traitor Valdez?”

  “That would be my guess. I’m kinda surprised he’s still breathing.”

  “We need to end him.” Hank yanked at his chains.

  “Oh, he’s a dead man walking.” Pulling a lockpick out of my bra, I stared up at Hank and sighed. His hands were chained over his head. “See a ladder anywhere?”

  “No, I don’t, runt.”

  “I’m open to ideas, old man.”

  Hank raised his left knee. “I’ll give you a boost.”

  I climbed on, wobbling a bit as I stood upright.

  “Don’t fall,” Hank barked.

  “Yes, sir.” I grabbed a handful of his hair to steady myself.

  He grunted. “Damn, woman. You tryin’ to snatch me bald?”

  “Quit being such a baby.” I quickly unlocked the shackles and jumped down.

  “Momma! I help Daddy find you,” Thor shouted excitedly.

  Hank rubbed his head gingerly. “You’re a regular homing pigeon.”

  “That’s good, sweetie. Where are we?”

  “Heurist. We come.”

  “Isn’t Heurist in the middle of the Queen Mother’s territory?”

  “It is.” Fire ants danced in my head. “Someone is coming.”

  Hank smacked Tihar’s face. “Snap out of it.”

  Yeah, like that was going to work. “Lift me up.”

  Hank held out an impatient hand. “I can pick a lock, ma’am.”

  The bossy jerk was going to drive Soulet nuts. I gave him the pick. Within thirty seconds, he had efficiently unlocked the shackles. Tihar slumped to the ground.

  “If you think I’m carrying the Askole, think again.”

  I shot him a frosty look. “Gee, I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

  “He stunned Soulet,” Hank snapped.

  “What Tihar did was inexcusable.”

  “Damn right it was.”

  The sensation of danger was growing stronger. Crap. Our kidnappers were coming back. Wait. It wasn’t Mog. It was his henchmen. A lot of them “Move aside, old man. I’ve teleported Tihar before, and I can do it again.”

  Hank snorted. “You teleported that Askole?”

  My hands curled into fists. “You calling me a liar?”

  “He’s gotta weigh four hundred pounds.”

  �
�And your point is?”

  “There’s no way an itty-bitty female could pull it off.”

  God, save me from chest-thumping alpha males. “You’d be amazed at what you can do when you’re looking death in the eye.” I poked him in the shoulder. “And I never, ever leave a man behind. Even you.”

  A red flush stained Hank’s cheeks.

  A hairy, ten-foot-tall teddy bear lumbered into the cavern. It stopped dead and stared at us.

  “Fuck.” Hank pushed me behind him. “I’ll handle it.”

  “Uh. It’s a Hus Ping.”

  “If it bleeds, I can kill it.”

  “Who do you think kicked Tihar’s ass?”

  Hank arched a brow. “The teddy bear?”

  “The Hus Pings travel in packs, and they’re dumb as—”

  Letting out a thunderous roar, the Hus Ping charged Hank. He dodged the slashing claws and drove his boot into its knee, knocking the bear down. Before it could get up, Hank slammed his forearm into the base of the Hus Ping’s neck.

  The teddy bear shook its head, then swung a massive arm back, catching Hank across the chest.

  I flinched as he slammed into the wall. That had to hurt.

  With a furious bellow, the Hus Ping grabbed Hank and shook him violently.

  I teleported to the pit and whistled loudly. “Hey. Cuddles. Over here.”

  The bear dropped Hank and rushed toward me. Thirty seconds before the Hus Ping could grab me, I teleported to the other side of pit.

  The look in the Hus Ping’s eyes as it fell? Priceless.

  Hank limped over. “You were saying?”

  “The Hus Pings are scavengers, usually harmless and dumb as a rock.”

  “Harmless?” He wiped the blood off his mouth.

  “They were until Mog came along.”

  A faraway look in his eyes, Hank said, “More of them are coming.”

  “Momma. Daddy know ’bout Pings.”

  “You’re such a smart baby.”

  Haki asked, “Me too?”

  “You too.” I hurried over to Tihar and lay on top of him.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Duh.” I teleported us a hundred yards down the tunnel.

  Hank appeared next to us. “I humbly apologize, ma’am.”