The big redhead moved closer and eyed me with concern. “Humans are breakable. She requires healing.”
“We are tougher than we look,” I protested. “It’s nothing the machine can’t fix.”
I didn’t think either of them believed me, but Zyair’s gaze moved to Yani. “Chain the gate closed.”
He was covered in cuts, and naked on top of it. I’d begun to shake all over, with my thoughts swirling like paper in a tornado. But his comment gave me something to focus on.
Chains. Right.
“We have the tie-down chains,” Yani stated.
Zyair grimaced. “Bring the heaviest you have, along with locks.”
We soon ended up with both Senaik and the cage door wrapped and secured. The Drakes then dragged the five Tazier bodies to the airlock. I figured we’d keep them there until we were out of slipstream, and then cycle them through to the great beyond.
Rhodes closed the airlock door, and we stared at each other. They were naked. I was clothed. We all required medical attention. But I struggled to keep my eyes on their faces, and the way they looked at me had my skin flushing all over again.
Xandros winced and rubbed at his ears. “What is wrong with your slipstream drive? The noise is most irritating.”
“Hold on.” Yani vanished through the opening we’d created. A few minutes later, the vibration I sensed dissipated to nothing.
All three Drakes appeared relieved. Senaik looked furious.
Yani reappeared. “Medical bay.” She gestured to the outer door. “Now.”
The three brothers moved to follow her, but hesitated when I walked up to the cage and met Senaik’s glower. I opened my mouth and said two simple words.
“Fuck you.”
As we marched down the hall, all three Drakes hovered around me.
My arm throbbed as the adrenaline wore off. When I staggered into Zyair, I suddenly found myself swept up in strong arms.
I was now pinned against a naked, if rather messed up chest. It was both upsetting, and reassuring at the same time. However, there was a point to be made. Namely, that I was not a helpless female and had not requested that I be swept off my literal feet.
Especially by a Drake, regardless of how scrumptious he was.
“I can walk, dammit,” I protested with an emphatic squirm.
“You were not walking. You were wobbling,” Zyair stated. His arms tightened slightly, and fresh drops of blood soaked into my shirt.
I didn’t want to hurt him any more than he already was, so I stopped squirming. He had, however, an odd note in his voice, and I peered up at him suspiciously. Was heenjoyingthis? “You’re bleeding all over me.” I glared at him.
“Yes, I am.” This time, he did sound apologetic. A little, anyway.
“What the hell?” squeaked an outraged male voice.
I twisted in Zyair’s arms to see Kurt standing in the hall. Interesting that with all the ruckus in the storage bay, oursecurityman had managed to stay well clear of it.Coward.That’s what happened when you relied on machine-produced bulk to intimidate, rather than any kind of actual fighting skill.
Of course, being Kurt, he would have fought for the wrong side.
My theoretical human mate’s voice was definitely hostile, but three large naked blood-embellished Drakes seemed to distract him from the fact that one had me in his arms.
Frowning at Zyair, he asked, “How did you get loose?”
I gaped at him. He’d known about the captive Drakes? He must have been more effective at cozying up to the Taziers than I’d thought…
“Just lucky,” Xandros said. He was, however, glaring at the human.
