Discovery (Hybrid Book 1) (27 page)

He took her face in his hands and tilted her face up. She looked at him blankly.

“You didn’t kill him, he’ll come round in a little while, I’m so proud of you for saving me. Really, you did good.”

Her eyes started to tear up. “I hurt him Connor, I’m not meant to hurt people.”

“I told you to, it’s not your responsibility.”

She pulled away from him. “He told me to hurt a baby, does that make doing it ok? I’m not a machine even if I’m owned like one. I can choose, and I chose to hurt a person.”

Tenset appeared beside them. “Sweetheart, you chose to stop something horrible happening to someone you love. Anybody would make the same choice, but Connor’s right; we have to sort out what you’re going to do now.”

Connor eyed Tenset. The man could easily shout out for the guards and they’d be back in exactly the same circumstances when Tamas woke up.

He could probably take him out, but having eaten nothing for days, he knew he was below par, although the pain block Chesara had put in place might be an advantage. However, having the two of them fight, might bring the guards running anyway, and it would certainly cause a very fragile Chesara considerable stress.

The Kalzirian caught his eye and apparently his thought process. “We need to get the two of you out of here.” He pushed his hand through his hair, as he wrestled with the problem.

“I can give you about five hours. Tamas often spends that long down here. If there’s no cause to disturb him, no one will until it’s close to dark. I’ll let the guards know he let me out to cover for you.”

“What about you?” Chesara asked softly. If Connor had had any doubts about how she felt about the Kalzirian, he didn’t any more. Her expression was exactly the same one she’d worn earlier when she’d been concerned about him.

At least she was talking again, he was grateful to the man for that. Searching his own emotions, he realised he didn’t feel in the least jealous as the woman he loved had her face cupped by another man.

“Still trying to look after me are you?”

“Always,” she replied. But as touching as this scene was, the clock was ticking.

“She’s right, Tenset. What about you? As much as I hate your guts, she seems quite fond of you, and I don’t like her upset.”

Tenset’s slight smile faded. “I hate you too Federation and I don’t suppose my dear Uncle will be overly pleased with me when he wakes up. However, I’m his only family, and his heir so I doubt he’ll do anything permanent. The family line is everything to him and I haven’t produced a suitable heir yet.”

Putting his Federation security hat back on, Connor briefly battled with himself before decided that despite what he’d previously done, Tenset needed to know the possible consequences of his actions.

“When we get back to the Apollo, the Federation will investigate. Even with favourable testimony about your help now, you’ll be punished alongside Tamas. It might be better for you, if you leave before they catch up with him.”

Chesara took Tenset’s hand. “Come with us, we’ll sort something out, or make something up, I can’t leave you here with him.” She glanced towards the unconscious Tamas on the floor.

He grinned down at her as he wrapped her in his arms.

“Nice try, but I’m afraid not little britches. If I don’t run interference, your escape will be discovered quickly, and for your own health, I wouldn’t recommend being caught by Tamas.”

Connor almost groaned in frustration as Tenset put his foot in it and Chesara’s anxiety shot back up from where it had started to fade. But the Kalzirian seemed to be almost as attuned to her as he was.

“How about I give you a few hours head start, then take off myself? I have quite a few resources, besides I have a certain way with the ladies.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and hugged her again, but he released her abruptly when she winced.

“Where are you hurt?” Tenset said at the same time he did.

She shrugged as if it wasn’t important, and Connor loved her just a little bit more if that were possible.

“Sore ribs that all, Connor got the worse of it.”

Tenset’s eyes shot to him, his concern equally clear. At first he was surprised that Tenset cared at all, but then he considered what would happen if their circumstances were reversed. He knew he’d feel just the same way. Whatever this weird effect Chesara was having on them was, it appeared to be mutual. Unfortunately, they didn’t have time to explore it right now.

“It looks a lot worse than it is. Besides, I can’t feel it and with Chesara along I’ll be fine again as soon as we find a place to hole up. Are you sure you’re up to a long hike through the countryside?” Connor asked.

She put her hand on her hip and glared at both of them.

“Yes I have a couple of bruised ribs, but it doesn’t really matter does it? We can’t sit around here waiting for a boo boo to heal. We need to get going. All of us.” She blessed Tenset with a particularly hard stare. “And I don’t care what you say, Lord high and mighty Tenset, you’re coming with us, end of. So less of the sorrowful looks and let’s get on with it ok?”

Tenset’s expression was a mixture of pride, worry and determination, and probably matched Connor’s own perfectly. Their little Kittycat was a force to be reckoned with, but she also needed to be protected from herself.

Chesara glanced between them, then muttered ‘unbelievable’ before moving behind Connor to check his wounds.

“It doesn’t look too bad, I’ll stop the bleeding for now, but it’ll need more work later.”

Connor looked into the bright blue eyes of the man whom he’d hated on sight, but now felt more kinship with, than any other man in the universe.

‘You love her?’ he mouthed.

Tenset gave him a crooked smile and a wink.

“I don’t have to tell you that if any harm comes to her, I’ll come after you do I?” Tenset asked him, with a slight edge to his voice.

Connor raised his eyebrows briefly before it clicked. If she thought they didn’t get on, she was more likely to agree to leave.

“You’re lucky I’m letting you off now Kalzirian, you’ve done her more than enough harm already. I seem to remember promising you that I’d shove your head so far up your ass you’d be tasting shit for the next couple of years if she was hurt, and she certainly has been.”

“When you’ve both finished waving your ‘oh so big’ testicles at each other, perhaps we can get on with the escape thing?”

Both men looked at her standing with a hand on her hip, giving them a ‘naughty boys’ look. They grinned at each other, and Tenset raised his hands in an ‘I surrender’ gesture.

“There is no way I’m spending any more time with him, besides, someone’s got to make sure this place keeps on running.

“I’ll make sure it’s clear and let you out the front entrance. Unfortunately, I don’t think taking horses is an option as there are several grooms on duty. Head south through the forest for a day, then turn east when you get to a river. Follow it upstream, you’ll get to one of my private holdings in a couple of days. I’ll send word to them to help you get back to the Embassy.”

“You’re not coming are you?”

Tenset shook his head slowly. “I’ve got to make sure this place is set up, in case everything goes as pear-shaped as Mr Federation here thinks it might. There are a lot of people who depend on my family. I can’t abandon them. But, I promise, I have a get out quick option. And if that happens, Madam Envoy, keep an eye out for a devilishly handsome, blue eyed stranger on your travels.”

Connor had to give him points for the excuse. Neither the argument that Tamas wouldn’t hurt him, or that he needed to cover their backs had convinced her, and they hadn’t convinced him either. Tamas was unstable, and Tenset was walking, make that swaggering into a world of pain.

But using innocent people that needed his help, followed by a promise that he’d somehow meet up with them again, seemed to seal the deal. Chesara walked straight over to him, went up on her tiptoes and gave him a full on kiss. Connor watched his eyes widened before they closed as closing his arms went gently around her.

Connor coughed politely, but when they didn’t stop he tapped Tenset on the shoulder. The Kalzirian grinned at him.

“Sorry, couldn’t resist. I guess we’d better stop that though, I wouldn’t want you feeling ‘uncomfortable’ for your stroll in the woods,” Tenset said with a grin, which widened as she blushed.

E
ven under their current circumstance, with his uncle unconscious on the floor and an imminent threat of intergalactic retribution, he was still a cocky bastard, Chesara concluded. But with those looks, and that mouth, he could afford to be cocky all he liked. She found his confidence nearly as much of a turn on as his physical attributes. This Tenset was a far cry from the lost individual she’d seen in his cell earlier. It was as if making a decision about a course of action, had settled his inner turmoil.

“Talking of walking, I might have a little trouble,” and she circled a bare foot just above the floor. Tenset and Connor glanced at each other, then at each other’s feet.

“I’ve got another pair in my room,” Tenset said. “So which one of us has got the biggest?”

Chesara snorted in amusement and both men looked decidedly embarrassed. She laughed out loud and held her hands up.

“I’m not saying anything, on the grounds anything I say may not be held against me in the future,” she managed to get out between giggles.

Two sets of eyes, one blue, one brown, rose to the ceiling as if beseeching help from above. Tenset moved over to Connor, and they compared feet. Connor’s were larger, which was logical, as he was built like a Sasquatch.

“There’s quite a bit more stuff in my room, and in the supply cupboard you could use, including some more clothing for both of you. Chesara, let’s go gather it up, while Connor ties up Tamas, in case he wakes up sooner rather than later.” Chesara glanced at Connor, who nodded in agreement.

“Do you have any medical training? Her ribs need looking at,” Connor said.

“Not a problem, Federation,” Tenset said and they left the room as Connor started to haul Tamas onto the table to cuff him in the same position he’d been in the night before.

The stone floor of the corridor was chilly on her bare feet, and she shivered. Judging from the light coming through the small windows in the unoccupied cells, she thought it was probably late afternoon.

Chesara glanced into the cell she’d occupied the day before as they walked past. “There was a guard in there earlier, d’you know what happened to him?”

“He’s been sent home for a few days, seems he was overwhelmed with the whole experience. Must admit it did sound quite a lot of fun.”  His grin was pure naughtiness.

“I heard everything from my cell, got me quite excited although Connor’s screams did put a dampener on things.”

“God how can you two stand me? I really am a stoephoer. Happily enjoying myself while my friends suffer.”

She felt him stop, and she was turned around to face him, she looked at the floor, too embarrassed to face him. A finger firmly lifted her chin until she was staring into his eyes.

“Firstly I have no doubt at all that you had no choice about what happened in there yesterday. Remember, I was listening.”

“He cheated.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I didn’t react, he got a shirt you’d been wearing and used it as a gag. That’s my excuse, what’s yours for not stopping it? And I really hope you have one apart from the fact you were getting your jollies.”

He sighed and pulled her against him.

“I knew Melton was constantly up and down the corridor, if I’d picked the lock on my cell door like I did today I would have been sleeping like a baby, very quickly. He’s quite proficient with that stun baton of his, in fact he’s pretty good with most weapons. Secondly, what the hell is a stoephoer? That’s the second time you’ve called yourself that.”

She sighed. “It means common whore, a streetwalker.” His expression became fierce, and she flinched slightly, trying to step back from him. His grip tightened held her still.

“Listen to me, for someone as bright as you are, you really do say some stupid things.  You, Chesara, are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. You are feisty, funny, and the most fuckable thing I’ve ever encountered. And if I ever hear you say you’re anything like a low class whore again I’ll put you over my knee and spank you till you beg for mercy.”

“Promise?”

His growled slightly in frustration, then his mouth came down on hers hard, and her body sank into his, the stab of pain in her side was worth it. He tasted so delicious, she felt crazed with the need to taste him, just one more time. So she scattered kisses from his ear to his jaw, standing on tip toe to reach him. The response between his legs was quick and hard, as she pressed up against him.

“I need to feel you again,” he murmured to her before sweeping her up in his arms and carrying her into his cell. Frantically she trailed kisses up his jaw, then covered his lips again with hers. A soft groan escaped her as he put her down, and she dropped the robe, revealing herself to him.

Gritted teeth and angry eyes were not the reaction she’d been hoping for. Embarrassed she covered herself with her hands. Obviously he didn’t like the fact she’d been with someone else, she knew there were reddened marks on her breasts from the guard’s and Connor’s attentions. Embarrassment turned rapidly to anger.

“Who the fuck do you think you are to look at me as if I’m dirt, you said I wasn’t a Stoephoer, but your eyes tell me different. Just let us go, and you won’t have to look at me anymore.”

Head held high she reached for the robe and tried to push past him.

“Shit, Chesara, I was looking at the bruises Tamas gave you. It made me angry, that’s all. When the hell are you going to start trusting me? We just went through all that.”

Chesara just stood with her mouth open trying to come to terms with the fact she’d just made a complete idiot of herself, Tenset moved past her and ripped the sheet from the bed.

“Are they broken?”

“What?” She looked up as Tenset stood over her.

“Your ribs, silly. Are they broken?”