Page 20 of Grumpy Alien Billionaire (Mates of Veritas #2)

CHAPTER 20

LANZ

T he chair clatters to the floor behind me as I surge to my feet, my heart pounding like a war drum. Something’s wrong. I can feel it in my bones, a gnawing, twisting sensation in my gut that screams danger . Tyler. It’s her. I don’t know how I know, but I do. The bond—if it’s real, if she’s my Jalshagar—it’s pulling me to her like a magnet. I don’t have time to question it. I don’t have time to think.

I slam my hand against the hidden panel in the wall, and the armory slides open. My jetpack gleams under the fluorescent lights, and I strap it on with practiced ease. The window shatters as I barrel through it, the city sprawling below me. I don’t need coordinates. I don’t need a map. I just know where she is.

The wind whips past me as I cut through the sky, the buildings blurring into streaks of gray and glass. Doggone Elegance comes into view, and the pull in my chest intensifies. I kill the engines and drop like a stone, the ground rushing up to meet me. I land in a crouch, the pavement cracking beneath my boots. The front door of the groomer’s is wide open, and the air smells sharp, metallic—ozone. Someone fired a laser weapon here. Recently.

“Tyler!” I bellow, my voice echoing down the empty street. No answer. I step inside, my scales bristling, my senses on high alert. The place is a mess—overturned chairs, scattered grooming tools, and a faint trail of blood leading toward the back. My stomach churns. If they’ve hurt her…

I follow the trail, my fists clenched so tight my claws dig into my palms. The back room is dark, the only light coming from the flickering fluorescent bulb overhead. And there she is. Tyler, crouched behind the counter, her face pale, her eyes wide with fear. Relief floods through me for a split second—until I see the figure standing over her.

Sandy. Or what looks like Sandy. But the way she’s holding the laser pistol, the way her eyes gleam with a cold, alien malice—that’s not Sandy. That’s a Grolgath.

“Stay back, Lanz,” the Grolgath snarls, pressing the barrel of the pistol against Tyler’s temple. “Or I’ll blow her pretty little head off.”

Tyler whimpers, her hands trembling as she clutches the edge of the counter. “Lanz, I’m sorry, I didn’t know—she just?—”

“Shut up,” the Grolgath snaps, yanking Tyler to her feet. “You’re coming with me, human. And if your boyfriend tries anything, he’ll be scraping your brains off the floor.”

I take a step forward. “Let her go. Now.”

The Grolgath smirks, her grip tightening on Tyler. “Or what? You’ll kill me? Go ahead. But she dies first.”

I glance at Tyler, her eyes pleading with me, tears streaming down her cheeks. My chest tightens. I can’t risk it. I can’t lose her. Not now. Not ever.

“Fine,” I say, raising my hands in surrender. “Take me instead. You want a Vakutan? You’ve got one. Just let her go.”

The Grolgath hesitates, her eyes narrowing as she studies me. “You’d really trade your life for hers?”

“In a heartbeat,” I growl, my gaze never leaving Tyler’s. “She’s mine. And I protect what’s mine.”

The Grolgath laughs, a cold, hollow sound. “How noble. But I don’t think so. I think I’ll take you both. The Alliance will pay a fortune for a Vakutan and his little pet.”

I clench my jaw, my mind racing. I need a plan. I need to get Tyler out of here. But before I can move, the Grolgath’s finger tightens on the trigger.

“Say goodbye, Lanz,” she sneers.

And then the world explodes.

The laser bolt sizzles past my ear, close enough to singe the scales. I don’t think—I move. My foot snaps out, and the pistol goes flying, clattering across the floor. Tyler scrambles backward, her eyes wide, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

“Stay down,” I bark, not taking my eyes off the Grolgath.

The creature smirks, its form shimmering like heat waves on asphalt. “Big, strong Vakutan,” it taunts, its voice dripping with mockery. “But can you catch me?”

It lunges, and I meet it head-on. My fist connects with its face, but the impact feels wrong—like punching water. Its head liquefies, my hand passing straight through. The Grolgath reforms, laughing, and swings at me with an arm that morphs mid-swing into a viper, fangs bared.

I twist, narrowly avoiding the strike, and grab for its wrist. My fingers close around it, but the limb shifts again, turning to liquid and slipping through my grip.

“You can’t hurt me,” it sneers, dancing back, its form flickering between human and something far more alien. “But I can hurt you. And then, I’m going to take your human mate and fill her belly with healthy, strong Grolgath children.”

Rage burns through me, white-hot and primal. My scales bristle, and I lunge again, this time aiming for its midsection. It shifts, but I’m ready. I feint left, then pivot, driving my elbow into its side. The Grolgath stumbles, its form solidifying for a split second.

“You talk too much,” I growl, pressing the advantage. I grab its arm again, this time twisting it into a joint lock. It hisses, its free hand morphing into a blade, but I’m faster. I slam it into the wall, the impact cracking the drywall.

“You think you’re clever,” it spits, its face contorting into something grotesque. “But you’re just a brute. A relic. The Coalition will crush you, and your little human pet will?—”

I cut it off with a punch to the throat, and it gurgles, its form flickering. But it’s not enough. It’s never enough with these things.

“Lanz!” Tyler’s voice cuts through the chaos, and I glance over just long enough to see her scrambling to her feet.

“Stay back!” I snap, but the Grolgath uses the distraction to its advantage. Its body shifts, turning to liquid again, and it slips free of my grip.

It reforms a few feet away, its grin wide and vicious. “You’re out of your depth, Vakutan. You can’t win this.”

I bare my teeth, my claws flexing. “We’ll see about that.”

The Grolgath laughs, its form shimmering as it prepares to strike again. But I’m done playing its game. I charge, my body a blur of red scales and raw fury. This time, I’m not holding back.

The Grolgath’s taunts are cut short as something small and metallic whizzes past my head and smacks it square in the back of the skull. It doesn’t hurt the thing—nothing short of a plasma blast will do that—but it’s enough to make it flinch. I glance over my shoulder and see Tyler, her arm still extended, holding the other half of the electric fur trimmer like a weapon. Her face is pale, but her eyes are fierce.

“Nice shot,” I say, grinning despite the chaos.

The Grolgath snarls, its form rippling as it turns to face her. “You little?—”

I don’t let it finish. I surge forward, my fist slamming into its chest with enough force to send it flying. It hits the back wall with a wet splat , its body flattening like stretched-out chewing gum. It writhes, trying to reform, but I’m already moving. I scoop up the laser pistol from the floor, my fingers curling around the grip.

“This ends now,” I growl, leveling the weapon at the Grolgath.

It sneers, its face contorting into something grotesque. “You think you’ve won? You’re just delaying the inevitable. The Coalition will?—”

I pull the trigger. The laser bolt hits it square in the chest, and the Grolgath lets out a guttural scream as its body disintegrates into ash. The air smells of ozone and burnt flesh, and for a moment, the room is eerily silent.

I drop the pistol and turn to Tyler. She’s still crouched behind the counter, her hands trembling, her eyes wide with shock. I cross the room in two strides and pull her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest. Her heart is racing, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

“I’ve got you,” I murmur, stroking her hair. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”

She clings to me, her fingers digging into my scales. “Lanz, I—I thought it was going to kill me. I thought?—”

“Shh,” I whisper, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I love you, Tyler. I love you so much. I’ll never let anything happen to you. Not ever.”

She pulls back slightly, her eyes searching mine. “How did you know? How did you know I was in danger?”

I cup her face in my hands, my thumbs brushing away her tears. “I just knew. I felt it. Like a pull, deep in my chest. I couldn’t ignore it.”

She frowns, her brow furrowing. “But how? How could you just know ?”

I smile, my heart swelling with a warmth I’ve never felt before. “Because you’re my soul mate, Tyler. My Jalshagar. Two bodies, one soul. I’ll always know when you’re in trouble. I’ll always come for you.”

Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she just stares at me, her lips parted in surprise. Then she smiles, a soft, trembling smile that makes my chest ache. “Lanz, I?—”

I don’t let her finish. I kiss her, long and deep, pouring everything I feel into it. She melts against me, her hands sliding up my chest to wrap around my neck. When we finally break apart, she’s breathless, her cheeks flushed, her eyes shining.

“I love you too,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “I don’t know what that means yet, but I know I do.”

I pull her close again, resting my chin on top of her head. “We’ll figure it out together. I’m not going anywhere, Tyler. Not ever.”