Mercenary Abduction (Alien Abduction) (12 page)

other, can someone tell me what’s going on? Murphy, what are you doing here? Purple, where’s my

breakfast? And would someone tell Ifruum to stop napping wherever he is and get his furry ass here?”

Makl leaned sideways and whispered, “Is she always this demanding?”

“Yes.”

“I heard that. And I’m still waiting.”

She was, too – foot tapping, arms crossed. She actually expected them to obey. Makl snickered.

“She’s insane.”

“Yes. But I’m fond of her in spite of it,” Murphy said on a sigh.

“Well, since you’re both just a fountain of information, I’m leaving. Bye, Murph. Hope you get

stuck on that comet again and go for a ride.”

Out flounced the human, leaving Makl gaping. “How did I ever believe she was a demure virgin?”

“The girl is a born actress. It’s why she’s so good at what she does.”

“How did you come across her?”

“You could say I accidentally rescued her. But that’s not my story to tell. Suffice it to say, I made the mistake of keeping her and she’s been making me pay for it ever since.” Murphy said it as if it

annoyed him, but his tone and expression told a different story. The shape-shifter cared for the female.

Makl decided not to kill her uncle – yet. “Isn’t she going to get suspicious when she doesn’t find

her furry friend?”

“Who says she isn’t?”

“You’re sitting in front of me, so unless you can be in two places at once, I’m pretty sure she’ll

notice.”

Murphy’s smile widened.

“Are you implying you can be in two places at once?” The possibilities boggled his mind.

“And before you ask, it’s a god-given gift, not a gadget.”

Damn. Makl slid his knife back in his sheath. “So what is your plan?”

“What plan? I thought we were dropping Olivia off to become a nanny?”

“We are. But that plan doesn’t include you.”

“Oh don’t worry about me. Once my girl is safe and sound, I’ll pop off somewhere new for a spot

of fun. There’re always people praying to me. It’s just a matter of choosing who will get my divine

attention.”

A snort escaped him. “I see where the craziness comes from.”

“I wouldn’t talk. Your family isn’t exactly known for its sane decisions.”

“Why thank you. We take great pride in distinguishing ourselves from the others.”

“In that respect, you’ve done well. But…”

“But what?”

Murphy’s cup and plate disappeared into thin air as he leaned back, suddenly sitting in a plush,

gold fabric-covered seat. He steepled his fingers. “Well, we are still quite a few days out from your cousin’s, and with some of your funds temporarily frozen –”

“Frozen!”

“Yes, the Obsidian Galaxy filed a formal complaint and had an injunction placed on your credit

accounts. Don’t worry, that councilor in your family, what’s his name again?”

“Tren,” Makl supplied through gritted teeth.

Murphy snapped his fingers. “Ah yes, Tren, is already arranging to have the injunction removed,

but in the meantime, I thought you might like bit of adventure and liquid currency.”

“What kind of adventure?”

“A jewelry store heist. I planned it as soon as the owner started boasting his security was

foolproof.”

Oh, those magical, challenging words. Makl leaned forward, more eager than he wanted to admit.

“Tell me more.”

“It seems he’s installed a state of the art system comprised of cameras, scanners, and guards. He

also runs background checks on all of his clients.”

“Sounds tight. What’s the payoff?”

“A ring with a priceless stone.”

“Nice, but not worth the time I’d have to waste planning. The family is expecting me. Perhaps on

my way back from dropping Olivia off.”

“What planning? I’ve already got it all figured out. I’d initially planned to play the part of doting fiancé myself, but given Olivia won’t work with me but only that stupid dog, I don’t know how believable we’d be. But if you were to act the part of loving fool who’s proposed, why, I think it would work

perfectly.”

“You want me to steal it with her as my partner? Are you out of our frukxing mind? I work alone.”

Yet, at the same time, he couldn’t deny the intrigue of having her by his side while they pulled off a heist.

“Can you imagine the headlines?
Galactic Avenger and his lovely assistant steal priceless ring
.”

Makl could see it. And frukx if he didn’t like it. A moment later, he’d agreed and they hammered

out the details.

*

Olivia stomped off in search of food and her partner in crime. Seeing her uncle Murphy again after

all this time threw her for a loop, but not as much as facing the guy who’d wormed his way under her

defenses the night before. The purple pompous idiot not only seduced her, but somehow got her to fall asleep in his arms.

Talk about letting down her guard in a major way. But worse than knowing she left herself

vulnerable to a male she barely knew – a male she enjoyably, if rashly, had sex with – she hated how the first thing that happened when she woke, alone, was her feeling of disappointment.

She should have reveled in the fact he didn’t attempt round three, a seduction she would have

rejected – probably. She’d scratched her itch, which should tide her over for oh, the next few years of her life.

Olivia wasn’t a virgin, but neither did she possess a high sex drive. She rarely felt the urge for

something carnal. When she did, she scratched it with either a compatible entity or her own hand. The itch went away and she went on with her life.

So why was it that seeing Makl again brought all the same feelings and attraction right back? And

not just back, but times a hundred. Now, when she looked at his strong, capable hands, she didn’t just imagine what they would feel like on her body, she knew. She craved them. She wanted those hands

touching her body and those lips nibbling her skin. She wanted to taste the ecstasy he showed her. Damn his purple hot bod, she wanted him – again.

How annoying. Confused, annoyed, and hornier than she liked, she left Makl conversing with

Murphy – which surely didn’t bode well – and went in search of something to fill her belly.

Into the small food prep area she stomped, finding Ifruum scrounging through the cupboards. His

familiar puppy dog eyes swung her way.

“What’s got you scowling?”

“Did you know Murphy was here?”

“Yes. He was worried about you. Apparently, he saw your picture on the new feeds and got

concerned. Congratulations. It seems you’re a wanted lady.”

“I am?”

“Yes, you are. A tape of your shenanigans with the purple mercenary from your temporary jail cell

has been circulating. You wouldn’t believe the monetary offers being bandied for a full, unedited

version.”

The words emerged from her automatically. “How much? Wait a second.” She slapped her

forehead. “What am I saying? I am not doing a sex tape.”

“Why not? Did you not have sex with the mercenary?”

“Yes. And? It’s not like it meant anything. Just a couple of compatible bodies exercising a natural

need.”

“Going to keep exercising it for the whole trip?”

“Of course not.” Um, maybe one more time, just to get him out of her system. Stupid, scruffy-

looking man. No one should look that delicious with his hair standing on end, his shirt half tucked, and jaw unshaven. Makl did, and suddenly, just once—even twice—wasn’t enough.

“Keep in mind, I don’t care if you do or not, just don’t it anywhere I can see it or you’ll be

cleaning up the puke.” Ifruum shuddered.

“I think I can restrain myself,” she replied dryly, not at all amused.

“Good, because I want you concentrating on our next job.”

Ah yes, her partner in crime and his
jobs
. Where he got his ideas from, Olivia didn’t know, but Ifruum always had a lead on a scam. Most of the time, it ended in profit, even with the various disasters with which they usually had to contend. They had more than their fair share, probably her adopted

parentage to Murphy rubbing off. As she listened to his latest proposal while wondering what Makl and Murphy talked about, she had only one thing to say at the end of Ifruum’s spiel.

“I don’t like it.”

“What part of the plan don’t you like?” Ifruum asked, bushy brows beetled as he handed her a

steaming cup of something that passed for coffee in space. Not that she had any experience with the real stuff. Young and poor when she was abducted, she was lucky if she got something other than water to

drink at home.

“I like the plan just fine. And while I think Makl is a pompous idiot who loves himself, I agree

he’d make a better fiancé than you. What I don’t like is the fact Murphy popped in for a visit.”

“Don’t be so hard on him. You know he loves you in his own fashion.”

Yeah, but his fashion tended to cause things around him to self-destruct, which in turn meant things

around her also went to hell when he decided to put in an appearance. “I know he does. And I am so

grateful to him for what he’s done, but come on, even you have to admit, having him around means

everything that can go wrong, will. I have a hard enough time escaping his influence when he doesn’t

visit. I can just imagine what will happen now that he has.”

“But at least it makes things more exciting.”

“And dangerous. Have you forgotten that part?”

“We always survive.”

“For how long?” she grumbled.

Ifruum handed her a plate of food – the lumps never resembled anything she remembered of food

as a child. What she wouldn’t give to one day get a hold of a cheeseburger, an honest to God, McDonald’s cheeseburger and fries. It was the one memory she clung to tenaciously, the one thing she could remember as being the sum of everything that tasted yummy in the world – until Makl that was. Damn, but the man made her drool, and here she was planning to act the part of his lovesick fiancée.

“I won’t have to kiss him or something, will I?”
Please say yes.

“Depends on if the shop owner gets suspicious.”

“How long until we reach the new job?”

“An earth day, give or take a few hours.”

Too much time. She sighed. “I guess I should go see if Uncle Murphy has left and if Makl survived

his interrogation.”

Ifruum chuffed. “What makes you think Murphy is grilling him?”

“Makl slept with his favorite
niece
.” She air quoted. “He’ll be lucky if he survives the day

without a mishap.”

Ifruum stayed behind to clean up as she headed to the command room. How would Makl act? Hell,

how would she? She’d never fallen asleep with a man before. She’d also never wanted a man for round

two, let alone a round three. Would he act as if nothing happened or changed? Or would he expect

something more of her? He wouldn’t suddenly become clingy, would he? She didn’t think she could abide a clingy man.

Sweeping into the room, she almost sighed with relief when she noted her uncle had vacated the

premises. At least that problem was temporarily gone, again leaving her with one delicious looking alien who lounged in his seat while…what was he doing?

She turned to look at the screen holding his attention and gasped. “Is that supposed to be us?”

“Yes. We’re famous.” While grainy – the prison budget not allowing for more expensive cameras

– the image certainly didn’t lie. There she was, in living color, kissing Makl and talking nonsense.

“This is the video of our jailbreak.”

“Yes. Apparently it’s quite the sensation.”

“Sensational piece of drivel.” She wrinkled her nose. “Oh God, I can’t believe people are

listening to that crap.”

“Listening, loving, and begging for an encore, but this time with less clothes.”

“Not happening.”

“Why not?” Makl grinned and waved his hand. “Don’t you want to be famous?”

“Famous for doing porn? No thank you.”

“Does the why of it really matter?”

“Yes, it does.”

“Females. So irrational.”

“Men, always thinking with their penises,” she sassed back.

He threw his head back and laughed. “You are funny, barbarian.”

“And you have a warped sense of humor. Can you turn that shit off now? I can’t listen to it

anymore.” Because who wanted to listen when she wanted to live it? “What did my uncle have to say for himself?”

“Not much. He just wanted to introduce himself.”

“And did he threaten you with his brand of curse if you sullied me? Demand you treat me right or

else?”

“No. Was he supposed to? I actually kind of liked the fellow, which I’ll admit surprised me given

what I know of him.”

Murphy hadn’t bullied Makl into promising to stay away? That didn’t bode well. Murphy acting

devious meant all kinds of trouble. She’d have to keep her eyes open lest Makl inadvertently succumb to the smothering protection of the deity who’d chosen to adopt her.

“Don’t get too complacent. Murphy never does anything without a reason.”

“Or he likes me.” Her purple mercenary winked.

God forbid. “Don’t ever wish that on anyone,” she said with a shudder. “I speak as someone who

knows.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were adopted by an entity who thinks he’s a god?”

“Because I’ve been trying to forget,” she muttered.

“It must have made life interesting growing up?”

“Interesting if you don’t mind having chaos constantly erupting around you. I learned from an early

age to expect the unexpected. Like at my graduation from the Guild of Pick Pocketing, a normal uncle

would have arranged for fireworks. That wasn’t good enough apparently. The third sun in the star system exploded into a thousand meteoric bits forcing a sudden planet wide evacuation. And you don’t even want to know what happened to the first boy I kissed.”