“No,” Oz assured her, “but I do carry their genes. Which means I have certain abilities that aren’t human.”
Bending her elbow, Maria propped her head on the palm of her hand. “What kind of abilities?”
“I’m able to connect telepathically to some of the Bracadytes. And I possess the Bracadyte fangs, also.”
Oz wasn’t sure why he opened up and told Maria of his anomalies, but judging from the look on her face, he suddenly wished he hadn’t.
He moved to sit up.
“Wait,” Maria softly pleaded, gripping his upper arm. “Don’t go. It’s just a lot to take in.”
Oz allowed her to pull him back down.
“Can you read my thoughts?” Maria hesitantly questioned.
Oz shook his head. “I can’t just read random thoughts. I can communicate with some of the Bracadytes I’m related to, but not all of them.”
“So, it’s only with the Bracadytes? Have you ever read a human’s thoughts before?”
“I’ve never shared blood with a human before,” Oz admitted in a low tone.
Maria’s brows furrowed. “If you took some of my blood, you and I would be able to communicate telepathically?”
Oz held her gaze. “That’s the theory. Bracadytes are able to communicate with the humans they share blood with or humans such as Amy, with heightened senses. But I have no idea if I am capable of the same, as I have very few Bracadyte genes myself.”
Chapter Sixteen
Maria stared into Oz’s eyes, trying to make sense out of everything he’d just told her. The fact that he had telepathic abilities was scary enough, but the fangs were a little more unnerving.
“Have you ever used your fangs before?”
Oz shrugged. “Some. But only on fish. They carry enzymes necessary to the Bracadytes’ survival. Though I might not need the enzymes, I’m not willing to take that risk.”
Some of the tension left Maria’s body with the knowledge that Oz had never used his fangs on humans. “May I see them?”
Oz hesitated. “Are you sure that you want to?”
She was sure. “They are a part of who you are. Yes, I want to see them.”
Laying his head back against the mattress, Oz opened his mouth and stared up at the ceiling.
Maria cautiously leaned over him and lifted his top lip with her thumb. “I don’t see them?”
Sharp, clear fangs suddenly descended from Oz’s eyeteeth, slightly curved and deadly looking.
Maria felt her eyes widen in shock, but she didn’t pull back.
With extreme care, she slid her thumb down his tooth and brushed it against the razor-sharp tip. “Can you feel that?” Maria moved her hand, but continued to hover above him.
“Yes, I could feel it. They’re very sensitive.”
“They look similar to snake fangs. Do they have venom in them as well?”
Oz’s lips twitched. “No. They’re actually hollow. The blood goes up through the fangs and directly into a vein in the roof of my mouth. I don’t actually swallow blood.”
“That’s good to know,” Maria responded in a teasing tone. “That could be a deal breaker.”
Oz suddenly grew serious. “Does that mean there’s a deal on the table for us?”
The sound of distant shots could be heard coming from a speaker on the computer table.
Oz was on his feet in an instant. “Stay here and lock the door behind me.”
“What’s going on?” Maria demanded, jumping from the bed and snatching up her jeans.
Flipping the same switch Maria had seen Fiona flip, Oz turned on the monitors and dragged his jeans up his hips while scanning the now lit screens. “It’s Carlito’s men. Do not leave this room for any reason. Do you understand?”
Maria began pulling on her jeans as well. “You’re going out there?”
Oz retrieved an automatic rifle from the wall and began loading it after grabbing a handgun and securing a knife in his boot. “That’s Gryke and Fiona they’re firing on. I have to help them.”
“Be careful,” Maria called as Oz ran toward the exit, taking the steps two at a time. He unlocked the door and stepped out before pulling it closed behind him.
Maria raced up the stairs and engaged the locks, her heart pounding hard enough to be painful.
Pressing her ear against the cold steel of the door, she strained to listen for any signs of Oz, but only the continuous gunfire coming from the speaker could be heard.
She rushed back down the stairs to watch the monitors. Men darted from behind trees, taking shots at what Maria could only assume were Fiona and Gryke.
Maria hated like hell being locked away in the basement while Oz was out there fighting for his life. She wasn’t a coward, never had been.
Snatching a pistol from the wall, Maria checked the magazine for rounds before grabbing extra ammo and racing back to the door.
Oz might be pissed at her for leaving the basement, but she’d be damned if she would cower down below while the others were outnumbered.
As quietly as possible, Marie disengaged the locks and eased the heavy door open. The kitchen was empty save for a calico cat lounging on the bar.
Maria didn’t remember seeing him there before. “Hey, kitty. Shhhhh. Good boy.”
Slipping quietly into the living room, Maria made her way to the front door and slipped outside.
The sun had set, making way for the rapidly approaching darkness.
Maria hugged the house and eased her way to the corner to poke her head around.
Oz had his back to a tree about a hundred yards from the house, returning fire on someone Maria couldn’t see.
Her stomach knotted up as she ducked down and forced her feet to move in his direction.
He suddenly glanced at her, and there was no mistaking the rage on his face, even from that distance.
“Get back!” he shouted before spinning his rifle around the tree he leaned against and firing off another round of rapid shots.
More gunfire could be heard in the distance, telling Maria that Gryke and Fiona were engaged in the fighting as well.
A man wearing all black stepped out from behind a row of trees and took aim at Maria.
Instinct from years of conditioning suddenly kicked in. Maria dropped to one knee and fired her handgun, nailing the guy in the chest. He staggered back a few steps before falling facedown in the sand.
Maria darted into foliage, hell-bent on reaching Oz before it was too late.
With her head low and her ears open, she ran through the trees, her gaze scanning the surrounding area for signs of the enemy. Darkness was rapidly falling. Another ten minutes, and Oz would be screwed.
Waiting for the next round of gunfire to end, Maria darted across a clearing and slid to a stop behind Oz. “How many are there?”
Oz grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her into a crouching position. “What the hell are you doing out here? Are you insane?”
“I couldn’t just sit in the basement while you all were outnumbered,” she whispered back.
Bullets peppered the tree they were crouched behind, sending bark flying in different directions.
More rounds immediately followed, spraying the ground near Maria’s feet.
Oz suddenly flinched, his lips peeling back over his teeth.
Blood began to soak through his shirt, spreading out across his shoulder.
“You’re hit,” Maria breathed, leaning across him to return fire.
Fear gave way to rage. Maria unloaded every round her gun held in the direction of the tree line, ejected the magazine, and popped in a new one. She continued to fire, shielding Oz’s body with her own.
Oz wrapped his arms around her hips and tugged her down. “I’m going to draw their fire while you make a run for the house.”
“I’m not leaving you!” Maria shouted over the insistent shooting. “You’re hurt.”
The click of a hammer being pulled back echoed in Maria’s ears, seeming louder tha
n the shots firing in the distance.
“Drop the weapon or he dies.”
Maria froze, her gaze lifting to the barrel of a gun pressing against Oz’s head.
She slowly laid her pistol on the ground and raised her arms out to her sides. “Okay, just please don’t shoot.”
“Get up,” Homero Rivera growled, signaling to someone behind him.
Two men wearing black caps approached. One pointed his rifle at Oz, while the other guy relieved Oz of his weapons.
Maria rose to her feet, unable to look at Oz for fear she would break down in front of her brother’s men.
Rivera grabbed her by the arm, yanked her a few feet away, and retrieved the rest of the ammo she had on her.
“Are you hiding anything else?” Homero asked, running his hands up and down her body.
He lingered on her breasts, cupping them in his grimy palms.
“Take your filthy hands off her,” Oz snarled, attempting to get to his feet.
The butt of a rifle slamming against Oz’s temple left him slumped unconscious against the tree.
“Stop it!” Maria cried, yanking loose of Rivera’s hold and scrambling to Oz’s side.
Blood dripped from his head to blend with the ever-growing crimson at his shoulder.
“Oz?” She reached for his face, only to be jerked back to her feet by Rivera.
“Bring him,” Rivera barked to the two goons hovering over Oz before spinning Maria around and giving her a shove. “Walk.”
Maria stumbled forward, glancing back in time to see Oz being hauled to his feet, half carried and half dragged behind her.
Chapter Seventeen
Excruciating agony sliced through Oz’s shoulder, throbbing in time with the pain now pulsing through his head.
He strained to open his eyes, flinching at the bright lights shining from above him.
A moan slipped past his lips as he attempted to lift his head and check his surroundings.
“You’re awake,” Maria whispered, her face appearing above him.
Memory came flooding back with a vengeance. “Are you okay?” he croaked, attempting to sit up.
Dried blood adorned the corner of Maria’s mouth, and a bruise rested below her right eye.
“Don’t worry about me,” she whispered, brushing some stray hairs from his face. “You’ve been shot.”
Oz didn’t care about the damn bullet wound in his shoulder. His focus remained on Maria. “Did he hurt you?”
Maria shook her head. “I’m fine. But you need a doctor. You’re losing a lot of blood.”
“I seriously doubt they’ll agree to that,” Oz murmured, falling back against the cot he lay on.
He glanced around the room, realizing they were in the basement of his hotel. “Did you happen to see Gryke and Fiona?”
“No. I think they got away. Can you reach Gryke telepathically?”
“No. And I’m too weak from blood loss to summon Vaulcron. He’s too far away.”
Maria sat on the edge of the cot and offered her arm. “Take some of mine.”
Oz eyed the vein pulsing in her wrist. “I can’t. Not without binding you to me.”
“Binding me?”
Oz glanced away. “It’ll open up a can of worms you’ll never be free of.”
“I don’t care,” Maria whispered vehemently. “We’re going to die if I don’t do it. At least this way, one of us has a chance.”
Returning his gaze to her face, Oz narrowed his eyes. “You will survive, Maria. That, I promise.”
Wrapping his hands around her arm, Oz brought her wrist to his mouth and released his fangs before sinking them into her flesh.
His eyes slid shut as he penetrated her vein, and her precious life force entered his bloodstream.
Oz could feel his body strengthening by the second. The chill began to fade, replaced by warmth and power.
Careful not to take too much, he retracted his fangs and gripped her wrist to hold pressure on the wound.
Maria stared down at him with a mixture of concern and something else he couldn’t name. “Take more if you need it.”
Oz’s heart twisted at her words. She would offer him every drop she had if it would save his life. Of that, he had no doubt.
“I took enough,” he assured her, throwing his legs over the side of the cot to sit up.
She turned to face him, her beautiful eyes bright with unshed tears. “We have to get out of here.”
Oz rested his hand against her cheek. “We will.” He sat there for several seconds, taking in her beautiful features. “Thank you for the blood, Maria. That couldn’t have been easy for you to do.”
“It was easier than you think,” she whispered, reaching up to cover his hand with her own.
The door swung open, and footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs.
Oz pulled his hand from Maria’s face and quickly lay back on the cot. He closed his eyes, praying they would believe him still unconscious.
The sound of Carlito’s voice turned Oz’s stomach. It took everything Oz had to keep from jumping from the cot and wrapping his hands around Carlito’s throat. He cracked his lids open just enough to see without giving away that he was awake.
“Well, well, little sister. I hear you’ve been consorting with our father’s murderer. Tell me. Did you spread your legs for him? Rivera isn’t going to be too happy about that.”
Oz fought back a snarl. Carlito intended to give Maria to Homero to do with as he wished.
Over my dead body, Oz silently vowed, attempting to keep his breathing even.
Maria’s weight lifted from the mattress. “Do what you want with me, brother. But please, I beg you to let Oz go.”
“You would beg for his life?” Carlito bit out. “The man who killed our father?”
“Our father killed Oz’s mother!” Maria shouted in return.
The crack of Carlito’s palm across Maria’s face echoed throughout the room to slice through Oz’s furious heart. He would choke the air from Carlito’s lungs if it was the last thing he did.
“Do not speak to me of what our father has or has not done,” Carlito snarled, spittle flying from the corner of his mouth. “If not for him, you would be living on the streets somewhere, dressed in rags and bending over for anyone with a twenty-dollar bill.”
Maria’s chin lifted in defiance. “I would prefer that life to being an Acosta any day.”
“Really?” Carlito slowly circled her. “Perhaps you will have the chance. Tonight, you will pleasure Homero until he tires of you. Then you will be passed around to the rest of my men.”
He stopped in front of her. “Ever been taken by more than one man at a time? No? I can see that you haven’t. I hear it can be a real sore subject, so I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, you’ll be entertaining the dirty dozen until I can decide what to do with you.”
Carlito turned toward Oz, raised his pistol, and pulled back the hammer.
“If you shoot him,” Maria cried, tears streaming down her face, “you’ll never know where he hid the diamonds.”
Bless her, Oz thought, quietly releasing the breath he’d been holding. She was a quick thinker.
Carlito continued to stand there holding the pistol in his hand, his eye twitching and his lips tightened into a scowl.
Oz nearly passed out in relief as Maria’s brother lowered the gun.
“Up the stairs,” Carlito demanded, turning toward Maria with the gun. “Now.”
Oz’s chest tightened in anxiety. Carlito was taking Maria upstairs where she would be turned over to Rivera.
The sound of Maria’s footsteps climbing those metal stairs nearly killed Oz. He watched through cracked lids as Carlito jerked open the door and shoved Maria forward into the hall.
The door slammed closed behind them.
“Oz?” Vaulcron’s voice whispering through Oz’s mind was an overwhelming relief.
“Thank God,” Oz sent back before rushing into the detail
s of everything that had taken place since they’d reached Playa Pilar, ending with, “Hurry, Vaulcron. Carlito has Maria, and he’s about to hurt her.”
Chapter Eighteen
Maria stumbled down the hall with every push of Carlito’s hand against her back.
“In there,” Carlito barked, handing her the room key.
With trembling hands, Maria unlocked the door and slowly stepped over the threshold.
“Get in there,” Carlito ordered, shoving her inside.
A man sat on the couch, watching television. Noticing Carlito, he quickly stood.
“Xavier? Make sure she stays in here. She is not to be touched. Do you understand?”
At the guy’s nod, Carlito continued. “Once Rivera is done with her, she’s all yours.”
Turning to go, Carlito glanced back at Xavier. “See to it that she showers, and then toss her clothes into the hall. Rivera will want her ready when he gets here.”
Xavier nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Carlito,” Maria began only to have him close the door in her face.
“You heard the man,” Xavier snapped. “Get in the bathroom.”
Maria fought her panic. “Please don’t do this. Whatever he’s paying you I’ll double it. I have lots of money. I’ll give you anything you want.”
Xavier grinned, displaying a mouth full of stained teeth. “Do you take me for a fool? Either you get in the bathroom and strip, or I’ll do it for you. Your choice.”
With heavy steps, Maria made her way toward the bathroom.
“The door stays open,” Xavier stated as she moved to close it. “Strip.”
Her hands shook so badly she could barely get the top button on her blouse to cooperate.
Tears sprang to Maria’s eyes as she turned her back and dropped her now open shirt to the floor.
She could feel Xavier’s gaze on her, touching on every inch of her exposed skin.
Her stomach lurched when it came time to remove her jeans. She toed off her shoes, unzipped her jeans with trembling fingers, and dragged them down her legs before stepping out of them.
“I can’t wait to have you under me. I’ll make you squeal like a pig.”
Oz: A SciFi Alien Romance (Enigma Series Book 5) Page 7