Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 64359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“I own you,” he says. “You belong to me, Taylor.”
“My name’s not Taylor,” I mumble under my breath. I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore. When faced with a beast like this, there’s no way to fight. I am going to have to submit to whatever he wants.
He drags me out of the office by my wrist. I am forced to trot after him as fast as my legs will take me, back up and out through the broken window. There is glass everywhere, but that is truly the least of my concerns. I’m glad he did some damage to the Owned Mates premises. The company deserves to take some losses for what they’ve done to me. All I did was scam them slightly, and now I’ve been cut off.
Of course, I made them some money too. They took transaction fees from every single one of the sales. I suppose losing all those to refunds doesn’t appeal. Better I get torn apart in some cruel and unusual alien fuck competition than they lose a single cent.
“Uhm, Mister Knives?”
The scythkin stops and looks down at me. “Yes, mate?”
“Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you to…
PING!
A shot rings out, catching him dead center of his chest. The massive, bladed alien staggers back a moment and drops to the ground. There’s only one creature in this vicinity who carries weapons capable of downing a scythkin.
I speak first in the aftermath of the shot.
“I’ve been wondering when you’d show up.” My voice shakes a little, even though I’m trying to be brave.
A languid drawl emanates from the shadows. “Little lady, you’ve led me on quite a chase.”
I thought I was afraid when I was in Emrys’ grip. Now I am reminded of the meaning of true fear. The devil you know isn’t always better than the vamp you don’t. This alien is silhouetted as a tall, lean figure against the lights of Owned Mates. I know his face already. I know that his eyes will be filled with a mocking kind of laughter. I know…
I know that it takes more than one shot, even a good one, to put a scythkin down for long.
The scythkin rises from the ground, having been momentarily put down by the bullet. It didn’t even seem to make a dent. Instead, it’s probably still ricocheting down the strip. Hard to say, because all my attention is being taken up by the probably inevitable but still very unwelcome convergence of alien males. Emrys strides out of the shadows, his expression grim as the grave. I see a flash of blue about the edges of my vision and I know that Raz is nearby. Thank god. Hopefully he’ll help me escape again. He’s staying out of sight, blending into the shadows and using his natural abilities to remain undetected.
Kronos the barbarian makes his presence known by walking into the zone of combat. He looks only vaguely perturbed, as if chasing his mate through the universe with a squad of other aliens he just met is something he does every other day.
“Shoot first, ask questions later, lawman?” The scythkin is also remarkably relaxed for someone who was just shot. I’m impressed with his restraint. He is the most dangerous creature in the galaxy and I have no doubt he could destroy the Sheriff in a matter of seconds if he wanted to. It’s a testament to his temperament that he’s so relaxed.
The assembled alien males all eye one another, the vamp, the barbarian, the spy, the scythkin, and the sheriff. One might think that the authority of the law is the only thing stopping this from being an absolute massacre, but I think this could easily turn into a blood bath at absolutely any moment.
“There aren’t any questions worth asking about this one,” Sheriff says. “That bullet was a favor to you. I’m afraid you boys have all been scammed.”
“That had occurred to us,” Emrys growls.
I shrink away from Sheriff, even though it takes me toward Emrys. It says a lot about the way I feel about that guy that the malevolence coming from the valker is like a warm bath compared to the lawman’s energy.
“I’ve been chasing this young lady longer than any of you might care to imagine. She’s wily, alright. Had to purchase a share myself in order to track her down,” Sheriff says.
“So she’s a criminal,” Emrys says.
Raz smirks from the shadows. He is my closest ally, the only one who does not seem confused or angry or intent on making me do everything he says forever and ever. I got lucky with that guy. I glance at him in the hopes he’ll catch my eye and offer something reassuring. He doesn’t. He’s looking at Sheriff, but that makes sense. I’d bet that Raz has some warrants of his own to worry about.