Taurus (Galactic Cage Fighters (Book Three))

by K. D. Jones

  “Keep moving!” the man yelled at her as he dragged her down the stairs heading toward the lower level of the ship.

  “I can’t keep up at this pace.”

  “I thought you were a halfsie, with advanced alien DNA. Advanced DNA my ass! You all are nothing but freaks.” He stopped on the landing when she practically gave out, breathing heavily.

  Maya tried to look around for signage to tell her what level she was on. She had been too upset to pay attention.

  “While we are waiting for you to catch your breath, you can answer my questions.”

  “Let me go and I’ll say I didn’t see you. I swear.”

  “I tell you what. You answer my questions and I’ll let you go.”

  Yeah, right after he shot her in the head. He had killed right in front of her. There was no way he was letting her live after this. She had to stall until help arrived or until she could find a way to escape.

  “What questions?” She wiped her tears off her face. Crying wasn’t going to save her.

  “What did you see and hear at the orphanage the other day? What did you tell the IDJ agents?”

  “Not much.”

  “The IDJ wouldn’t be here if all you heard was, not much.”

  This was the tricky part, not telling him too much that he would just pull the trigger on her. “I heard a man’s voice talking about the GCFA people being at the orphanage.”

  “Did you hear me say the name Coran?”

  She frowned. “No.”

  “What about the illegal fighting ring? Did you hear me when I was talking about that?”

  She felt queasy. “Is that what you were doing with the halfsie children? Sending them to an illegal fighting ring?”

  The man grew silent. “You pretty much didn’t hear anything at all did you?”

  Maya didn’t answer right away. Maybe if she made him think she had more information, it would buy her the time she needed until help arrived. “I heard enough.”

  “You didn’t see me either, did you?” he snorted.

  “I saw your profile.” She hedged a bit. She glanced down to his right hand and saw his silver ring. He was definitely the male she had seen at the orphanage.

  He reached down and grabbed her arm jerking her back up. “Let’s keep going.”

  She was alive for now. He could have killed her at any time. Especially since he suspected she didn’t overhear anything important. However, he was keeping her alive until he could get off the ship. He would use her as a hostage to make his escape. Then she would be dead.

  Maya didn’t want to die. She knew this would devastate her grandparents. And how would Taurus handle it? She wished she had told Taurus that she loved him. If she could have just one more day with him, she wouldn’t waste it. I love you, Taurus, she whispered in her head.

  *****

  The moment he stepped into the stairwell, he smelled Maya’s scent. “She was here.”

  Zara nodded her head. “Which way though? Up or down?”

  Trig checked both directions. “Zara and I will go up. Taurus, take Officer Turner with you and go down. Do not engage with the suspect. If you find them, send me a message and wait for me to come with reinforcements. Remember he is armed and dangerous.”

  Taurus growled. No one had to tell him how dangerous this asshole was. He saw a picture of the dead man that had been tied and gagged in his own closet. It disgusted him the person responsible for that would have his Maya. If he harmed her, he would no longer need oxygen because he would be a dead man.

  The scent grew stronger. “I think we’re getting close to them. The scent is stronger,” Taurus told the IDJ officer.

  The officer stopped to message Trig. “Special Agent Roberts is on his way. He wants us to hold our location until he gets here.”

  “Hell no! She could be dead by that time.” Taurus pushed past the human male and sped up his descent.

  He had gone down a few more flights when he finally heard voices. The closer he got the more distinguishable they were. One female’s voice rang out to him loud and clear. Maya.

  Taurus signaled the officer to be quiet as they came closer. He peered over the railing to look at the landing below him. He could barely make out Maya’s brown hair. She was sitting on a step, breathing heavy. He could smell her tears. The officer grabbed his arm and tried to pull him back away from the railing.

  “We need to wait for backup.” The officer looked worried.

  “I don’t think we have time. Can you hear what they are saying?”

  The officer shook his head. “No. You can?”

  “Yes, I can. The male asked what she saw at the orphanage. He realizes she has nothing on him. He wants them to keep moving. If they get to the lower level, he can use an emergency exit to get off the ship. Do you think he’s going to let her live after that?” Taurus said with force without raising his voice.

  “What do you want to do?”

  “We only have four more flights before he gets to the lower level. We need to move closer until we can make our move. I’ll distract him, you pull her to safety.”

  “Wait a minute. I’m with the IDJ and I’m the one in charge here.”

  Taurus glared at him and stood his full height. The male shivered slightly. “That is my female, my mate being threatened. I will fight anyone who threatens her or stands between us. Right now, I’m the more dangerous predator than that pathetic piece of shit that calls himself male. I am stronger and faster, he won’t stand a chance against me.”

  “Fine, but you put him down quick. If you take too long, he’ll get a shot off and it only takes one to be fatal.”

  Taurus nodded then turned to start heading further down the stairs. They moved quickly and quietly until they were only a flight away. They needed to act now before the male reached the bottom level.

  He looked at the officer beside him. “Go halfway down, stay close against the wall. When I get the male, you take Maya down to the bottom level to safety.” The officer nodded his head and started down the stairs.

  Taurus peered over the railing again and watched while the male with the gun pushed Maya ahead of him. He kicked off his shoes stretching his toes. He gripped the railing, pulling himself up so that his toes held onto the railing. He positioned himself then he leaped over the top dropping down on top of the male with the gun. He kept the stunned male on the floor while the officer rushed past him and took hold of Maya.

  Maya looked back and was shocked to see Taurus struggling with her kidnapper. “Taurus! He’s got a gun!” She tried to make her way back up the stairs but the officer was pulling and pushing her down the last flight. She struggled. “Let me go. Taurus is in danger.”

  “You are my priority right now,” the officer replied pulling her to the emergency exit. Once he had her safely off the ship, he texted Trig to let him know what was happening.

  A long shot rang out startling them both. Maya tried to go back inside but the emergency exit was designed for people to exit not enter. There wasn’t any handles at all. She beat on the door. “Taurus! Taurus!”

  Tears streamed down her face. If he died…if he…she couldn’t finish her thoughts. She hadn’t even told him how much she loved him. Was it too late? Please…

  The officer pulled her away from the door. She sobbed. Loud hard sobs. It shook her whole body. A few minutes later the door slammed open. Taurus stood at the opening breathing hard. He yelled for her.

  “Maya!”

  That was the last thing she remembered before everything faded to darkness.

  * * *

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “Maya?”

  She heard her name being called from so far away. She felt so heavy and her head was groggy. Did she run into another wall?

  “Maya, wake up, baby.”

  Taurus was calling for her. She opened her eyes to the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. “Taurus?”

  He sighed with relief. “I was so worried.”

  Maya f
rowned. Everything came rushing back to her. Going to the photo shoot. Officer Jenkins getting shot. The killer kidnapping her. Then Taurus jumping on top of the killer. The gun going off. She tried to sit up.

  “Are you hurt? I heard the gun go off.”

  “I’m fine. I have been worried about you. You just passed out.”

  “Sorry. I was so scared something had happened to you. I thought you had been shot like the IDJ officer. Is Officer Jenkins okay? He was shot in the photo studio.”

  “He’s recovering in the room next door.”

  “What about the shooter?”

  “He is being interrogated by Trig and the other IDJ agents. Rachel is outside. She wants to ask you a few questions. Are you feeling up to it?”

  “Sure.”

  Taurus stood and walked over to the door. He opened it and allowed Rachel and Rage to enter.

  “Maya. Are you feeling better?” Rachel asked with concern.

  “I feel fine. A little groggy. But I’m fine.”

  “I won’t stay long. I want to get back to the interrogation room. I need to question you about what happened today. Can you walk me through it from the beginning?”

  “Well, I had gone with the IDJ officers to hair and makeup to get ready for the photo shoot. I realized that I forgot the high heels and asked Officer Browning to go back to the suite to get them for me. During the photo shoot, the new light guy was acting really strange. He kept pointing the lights directly into my eyes. The next thing I knew he had shined the light into Officer Jenkins’s eyes blinding him and then shot him. He grabbed me and dragged me with him to the stairs.” She was breathing hard as anxiety rose within her remembering her ordeal.

  “Did he say anything to you that might be helpful?”

  “He asked me what I overheard at the orphanage. He suspected that I didn’t hear much. He asked if I had heard anything about the illegal fighting.”

  “Illegal fighting? You didn’t mention that when you first told me about his phone call conversation.” Rachel frowned.

  “That’s because I didn’t hear about it. I got the end of his conversation. But he questioned me on it and I asked if that was what he was doing with the halfsie children, sending them to an illegal fighting ring. He didn’t admit to it, but I could tell that that was exactly what was happening.”

  “Anything else?” Rachel was texting the information to Trig, so he could question the perpetrator on it.

  “Yes. He mentioned a name. I think it was Coran.”

  “I’ll run it through the data base. We have security increased on the ship. You have two guards outside your door and they will remain with you until we have the perp taken to an IDJ holding facility.”

  “Thanks, Rachel,” Maya said as she gripped Taurus’s hand. Remembering her ordeal also reminded her of something else.

  “I’m glad to help. I’m on my way back to help Trig with the interrogation.”

  The moment Rachel was gone and Taurus and she were left alone, she gripped his hand and pulled him onto her bed.

  “Maya?” Taurus was confused.

  Maya looked into his beautiful eyes and told him the one thing she had regretted not saying before all the chaos happened.

  “I love you, Taurus. I am completely in love with you.”

  Taurus looked surprised at first then the emotions changed to one of joy, awe, and love. “I love you, Maya. You are my heart. If something had happened to you…”

  “Shhh.” She put a finger over his lips to quiet him. “Don’t think it. I’m safe and we are together. And we are in love. Nothing else matters.”

  She gripped the back of his head and pulled him to her to claim his lips. He growled and responded by kissing her back with just as much passion.

  “I love you,” she whispered between kisses.

  “I love you.” He stopped to stand back up.

  “Taurus?” She looked at him in question. Why did he stop?

  “Hold on, baby.” He walked over to the door and opened it. He addressed the officers on the outside. “No one comes in until I say.”

  “Yes, sir.” Both officers looked intimidated.

  Taurus closed the door and locked it. He turned back toward a confused Maya and began pulling off his shirt.

  “Taurus! We’re in a healing facility!” Her eyes were glued to his perfectly sculpted chest and her heart beat more rapidly.

  “No one is coming in without my say. Don’t deny this—or deny me. I almost lost you today. I need to be inside you, buried so deep that I can feel your soul connect to mine,” his deep voice rumbled as he unsnapped his pants.

  No man had ever said anything like that to her and she felt the same way about him. Maya got up on her knees immediately fumbling with her top.

  A very naked Taurus knelt one knee on the bed. He stopped her struggling hands, moving them out of the way. He inserted his hands into the front part of her tiny top, right above her breasts. He pulled and the top practically disintegrated. He growled because she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her perfect, perky breasts spilled out into his waiting hands. He kneaded the mounds.

  “Mine.” He bent down and took a waiting nipple into his mouth. She tasted so good.

  Maya’s body responded to him in full force. She felt her breasts get fuller and extra sensitive as he nuzzled her breasts. Taurus reached down between their bodies and took hold of the waistband of her short shorts. He ripped them off. Panties and all.

  Maya opened her legs for him, desperate to feel him fill her. He reached for her sex. She arched at the gentle but firm touch. She cried out when he dipped his fingers into her wetness. He teased her entrance with his fingertips.

  “Taurus,” she moaned his name.

  He released her breast and kissed his way down her stomach. His tongue swirling and teasing every inch of her. He finally reached her sex. He pressed forward and licked her wet folds. Maya jerked almost out of his grip. It was a delicious feeling to have his tongue on her flesh. She moaned with pleasure as her head lolled from side to side. She reached down and gripped his head holding him to her. She felt her body spark into flames. If those flames consumed her, she didn’t care. She had to have this, had to have him.

  “Taurus!” Maya screamed as she came apart.

  Taurus crawled up her trembling body. His lips shone wet, a visible sign of her release. The taste of her nearly undid him.

  “I need to be in you now,” he growled.

  “Yes, I want you inside me,” Maya’s sex-laced voice answered back.

  He didn’t waste any time. He plunged his rock hard cock deep inside her and set a fast, rough pace. He slammed into her over and over. She didn’t protest when he lifted one of her legs higher and higher. She was practically doing a split with him penetrating her.

  “You are mine!”

  “Yes! Yours, Taurus!”

  He poured his seed, coating her on the inside. Her inner muscles gripped his dick squeezing him and milking. He damn near cried from pure ecstasy. He rolled them till they were both on their sides. He was still inside her partially aroused. He wasn’t done with her. He would never have enough.

  “I love you,” his voice was rough and emotional. Damn it! He was going to cry anyway.

  Maya gave him the biggest and warmest smile. She leaned forward and gently kissed his lips. “I love you, too.”

  He gripped her hips and moved inside her. “I am going to…” A pounding on the door interrupted him. They both could hear the yelling and arguing from the other side of the door.

  “I told you to move out of my way, young man!”

  “Sir, you need to calm down. I will check to see if the woman is taking visitors at this time.”

  “That woman is my granddaughter and you will open this damn door before I throw you threw it!”

  “Tay, calm down. I’m sure the nice officer will let us in. We were told our granddaughter was involved in some kind of kidnapping attempt and she was brought to the healing facility,” an elderly woman�
��s voice spoke with worry.

  Taurus looked at Maya who was trying to push him out of her.

  “Move it, Taurus. My grandparents are here.” She looked around for her clothes, which she picked up in pieces.

  “Here, put this on and get back in bed.” Taurus handed her his shirt. He had quickly put on his pants. He kicked her torn clothing under the bed. He walked to the door and turned back to make sure that Maya was back in bed. He reached out and unlocked the door.

  Maya sat up in the bed nervous. All she had on under the sheet was Taurus’s shirt. Her grandfather pushed past Taurus when he opened the door.

  “Baby girl?”

  “Hi, Grandpa.” She gave him a reassuring smile.

  “Oh, honey. Are you okay?” Her grandmother rushed into the room and came right to her side. She ran a gentle soft hand across her forehead.

  “I’m fine. I had fainted and they brought me here to recover.” She looked over at her grandfather who was sniffing the air. Oh, shit! He could smell that they had had sex. She watched as her grandfather glared at Taurus.

  Taurus held the older male’s eyes without flinching. Maya’s grandfather may be older, but he was a full Arian and still had a lot of strength in him. He was almost as tall as Taurus and still held a muscled physique.

  “I assume you are Taurus?”

  “Yes, sir.” Taurus reached out a hand to shake but the other male didn’t bother to take it.

  “You promised to protect her, but you failed.”

  “Grandpa, this wasn’t Taurus’s fault. He rescued me from the crazy male.” Maya wanted so badly to be able to get out of bed and go to Taurus.

  “It doesn’t matter. You’re coming home with us.” Her grandfather approached the other side of the bed and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

  Taurus’s face turned red with fury. How dare the male walk in here and threaten to take his mate from him. He was about to say something but Maya spoke up.

  “I’m not leaving. I have a job here, friends, and…Taurus. I’m not leaving.”

  Her grandmother turned to look at Taurus. “You’re Maya’s Taurus. So nice to meet you.” She walked over and gave him a hug.