“According to the heat signature scans, no.You were a surprise.”
Her eyes narrowed.“Which means you could be wrong.”
He studied her stiff posture.Could Olin have missed more when they hadn’t known of her?“The Yithian I interrogated mentioned these women and no others.”
“Well, it’s too late now.At least they died swiftly.”She weaved around him to kneel beside Hiossu.“Why is he still out?”
“The length of unconsciousness depends on the strength of the blaster’s stun.”He passed her to peer through the crevice to the beach beyond.
A massive section of the cliff and the building built into it were missing; detritus littered the grounds around it.Flames meters high licked the sky, serving as a beacon for the incoming Yithian ship.More would arrive soon.
They had to move.
“We cannot stay here,” he said, facing her.He jerked back when she held out her hand.“What do you need, milady?”
“Your medical device.”
Thinking she meant to run it over Hiossu, Cylo placed it on her palm.“Press and hold the button.”
She brought it within inches of her face to study it, then she did as he instructed.“Where are you injured?”
Heat rippled over his skin at her concern.“My left arm and knee.I can do it.”
She hesitated then shook her head.“Show me.It’s best I learn how.Just in case.”
She crouched to run the med-gun over his knee.The relief was instant, eradicating the constant throbbing that had shot shards of agony up his thigh.Until it had healed, he hadn’t realized how much pain he endured.
The med-gun pulsed.
“Why did it do that?”she asked, once more holding it an inch from her face.
He swallowed a smile.“It has completed its task.”
“Oh, well, that’s good.”She beamed and moved onto his shoulder.
Close to him, he watched her expressions and the marvel of her shifting eye color: gray to green to blue—as alarming as her purple-colored skin and rainbow hair.The salt tang of seawater teased his nose, along with a subtle sweetness that was her natural scent.He drew it in though hid that he was doing so by keeping his breathing shallow.
Life returned to his fingers, along with a violent sweep of tingles.Those faded, too.With a mumbled thank you, he rolled his shoulder to test its mobility.
She ran the med-gun over Hiossu then nudged the male.He groaned, and a moment later, jerked to the side while throwing out his hand.
“Come.We need to hide somewhere else.Any ideas?”she asked, standing to her full height which reached Cylo mid-chest.
Hiossu frowned at the cavern.“Yes, they will look here first.”He scrambled to his feet.
She offered the med-gun to Cylo.
Just in case?He liked her caution.“Keep it,” he said.
She shoved it between the waistband of her pants and her bare skin.“So where to?”
“No help from your males?”Hiossu gazed at the beach.“Mm, the Yithians will come.”
“Exactly.We must find somewhere else with a clear signal for…” She peeked at Cylo.“Porting, right?”
“Yes.”He tapped his O.D.I.“Fyca.”
“Dampening shield activat… Separate mission to destro—” The sound cut off.
