Page 23 of Songbird (A Space Pearl’s Treat #1)

My feet stumbled as the two large Kerzak guards dragged me along the alleyways of level four.

Their grip on my arms was rough, the tips of sharp claws digging into my flesh.

The point of the blade one of them held against my ribs was the only reason I hadn’t screamed so far.

Kayzon would just as soon kill me. This was all about winning for him.

Taking what he thought he owned—his property.

Thankfully, the path we traveled was far from deserted.

The citizens here were poorer and less likely to get involved for fear of their own safety.

Yet I had hope. I felt eyes on me and recognized the small dark gaze of the Berajbe watching from the crowd.

I prayed their grapevine proved as good as Jala thought, and she and Praxxan would hear about my abduction in time to stop Kayzon from taking me off the space station.

Tarrick was already gone by now. As long as I remained at the space station, there was hope that I would see him again.

And if I saw him again, hope that we might have a second chance at being together.

But if Kayzon took me away... a small sob bubbled in my throat at the knowledge that if I left the Ardeese Valout, I would never see Tarrick again. I would never see anyone again.

Even if I was a lost cause, I hoped someone found the other girls soon. Thankfully, none of them were hurt—well, none but Aqsa. But she’d been conscious and scowling at the big dumb Kerzak who hit her when they dragged me from the room, so I hoped her injury wasn’t too bad.

Lost in my thoughts, I stumbled when the Kerzak yanked me around a corner.

“Keep up,” the largest of the two growled, his grip on my arm tightening. I felt a sharp sting and then warmth as a trickle of blood ran down my arm from the pinch of his claws.

“Quit walking so damn fast,” I hissed, shuffling my feet. They might drag me back to hell, but I wasn’t going without a fight.

We turned the corner and emerged from the main corridor. Most beings kept their eyes glued to the ground, save a small gaggle of Berajbe, who watched with covert glances.

“I thought you left with Ambassador Mukhal.” My voice was loud, as near to a yell as I could get it in hopes the nearby Berajbe might overhear.

Kayzon laughed, so smug and arrogant at his deception. “My ship did leave. I and my personal guard stayed behind to retrieve my rightful property.”

“I’m not your property,” I squirmed, feeling the bite of claws against my skin.

Kayzon glanced at me over his shoulder. His dark eyes were unreadable, but the way his long gray tongue slathered over his lips made my stomach lurch. “Yes, you are little human, and now that your voice is back to normal, you will earn me millions of credits with your song.”

“I’d rather die than sing for you,” I snapped.

Kayzon’s lips curved upward, slowly and menacingly. “That can certainly be arranged.” His attention shifted forward again, and the massive ass abruptly stopped.

“My lord?” The larger of the guards pulled to a stop, tightening his grip on my arm in warning.

I twisted just enough to see around Kayzon’s bulk and the reason for our halt.

While the fourth level was nowhere near as well to do and populated as level six, they still held a market. The booths were shabby, the wares cheap, and the scent of roasting meat didn’t nearly make my mouth water as much, but thankfully it overshadowed the stench of my captors.

Yet the sight of it brought back memories of my other visits to the market. The moment I met Tarrick, thanks to his adorable niece. The day he took me shopping, and the red scarf I knew still adorned my dressing table.

Tarrick.

I had a lot of regrets in my life. Not making more of an effort to stay close to my father after the divorce.

Not standing up to my mother and her single-minded pursuit of fame.

.. seriously, the woman made Kris Jenner look like Mother Theresa.

Letting talentless men choose my music and rule my life.

But my biggest regret, one I would hold for eternity, was not telling Tarrick how I felt about him.

If only I had found the courage. If only I had opened up my heart and let the truth spill out instead of keeping it locked inside, things might be different.

I might be in his arms right now, instead of the hands of this ginormous hairy asshat.

Kayzon grunted, a frown furrowing his brow as he glanced back at us. “Avoid the market. I wish to avoid the guards seeing her.”

“How are you going to avoid the guards noticing when you drag me through the dock to your ship?” I grumbled as we turned toward another darkened alleyway.

“My ship is not moored at the dock,” Kayzon laughed, a smug, superior sound that made me wish I could find a way to slap him without getting my hand bitten off. “It awaits outside an entrance on the engineering level where we can board unseen.”

Well, shit.

“There is a service entrance in this alley,” the smaller of the Kerzak said, tapping on a datapad. “The next stairway will lead us directly to the engineering level."

That was it then. I was fucked. Kayzon would slip me off the space station before Jala and Praxxan knew he’d grabbed me. And I would never see Tarrick again.

Tears slipped from my eyes, blinding me, and I stumbled, my shoulder slamming into the larger guard. He growled, jerking me sharply, all five of his claws finding purchase in my flesh.

“Ow,” I moaned, the word little more than a sob.

A gentle breeze brushed against my skin, carrying with it a familiar and comforting spicy, masculine aroma. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, letting the scent fill my senses, even though I knew it was only my imagination.

The guard holding me jerked to a stop as Kayzon halted, whipping to glare behind me as a deafening roar exploded through the air.

The sound like the roar of an alpha lion, a symphony of power and dominance that demanded respect and evoked fear.

It echoed through the corridor, obliterating every other sound to silence.

My body jolted, and I twisted, ignoring the sharp claws ripping through my flesh as I turned to face the origin of the sound.

The sheer shock and relief that filled my mind overshadowed the pain of my wounded arm.

Everything faded away as I focused on what lay before me, my heart pounding with a mixture of joy and adrenaline.

“Tarrick!” I screamed his name.

He stood just a few feet away, tensed and ready for battle. The most breathtakingly beautiful male I had ever seen. My mate. My hero.

Determined strides brought him closer, the fierceness in his gaze softening when it landed on me, only to fill with rage as he noticed the blood flowing down my arm.

I didn’t know how he found me or what led him here, but it didn’t matter.

All that mattered was the sight of him coming to rescue me from Kayzon.

“Get your hands off my mate.” His voice was a storm, with thunderous roars and lightning-sharp cracks filled with fury.

“Your mate?” Kayzon laughed. Cocky, though I noticed he stayed put solidly behind his guards. “The human is my property.”

“Izzy is mine.” Tarrick hissed, coming a step closer.

Kayzon waved his hand as though he considered Tarrick’s presence little threat and laughed. “Then come and get her. You are fat and weak, but at least my guard will get a little exercise before they kill you.”

My blood boiled at Kayzon’s cruel words, and I lashed out, my leg kicking towards him in an attempt to make contact, although I was too far away to make purchase.

The guard holding me gave a rough jerk, making my head snap.

Tarrick’s face contorted with anger, yet I sensed it wasn’t because of Kayzon’s insult.

The fury simmered just beneath the surface, pulsing with a fiery intensity like a volcano on the brink of eruption at the guard putting his hands on me.

Tarrick’s jaw clenched as one balled fist moved slowly, landing at his throat. With a movement so graceful, it seemed unreal, he tore away both his padded jacket and cloak, revealing the muscled warrior I knew existed underneath the subterfuge.

Kayzon couldn’t hide his gasp of surprise. I eyed him smugly. “Tarrick’s not fat. You’re fat,” I quipped, giving him my sauciest smile.

Dark eyes flipped to me, simmering with hatred.

“Kill him.” Kayzon spoke the words without a hint of emotion, the nod given to the largest guard, who handed me off to his comrade.

A deep, guttural sound, somewhere between a roar and a laugh, rumbled from the massive Kerzak as he pulled out his blade and lunged forward.

His towering size was intimidating, but Tarrick’s speed and agility proved unmatched as he gracefully sidestepped the swinging blade and knocked the Kerzak to the ground with ease.

Tarrick’s movements seemed an amalgamation of the brutal strength of Jamie Fraser, mixed with the fluidity of Bruce Lee, with a touch of John Wick for good measure.

My mate was badass. A completely gorgeous badass. The thought sent pride burning along my nerve endings and laughter bubbling in my throat.

Kayzon grabbed my arm as he pushed the second guard forward. “Kill him!”

The second Kerzak dove into the fray, his blade slicing through the air with a satisfying whoosh. But Tarrick was quicker, dodging and kicking with precision and skill that left his opponent disarmed before the larger Kerzak could regain his footing.

As the first guard came back for another round, Tarrick’s movements became a violent ballet.

Even facing off against two massive beasts, I didn’t fear for him until my eyes caught sight of something small and shiny in the hand of the smaller guard.

A blaster, a weapon outlawed by Jala on the space station.

Of course, these hairy bastards wouldn’t play by the rules.

“Tarrick!” I screamed a warning as the Kerzak took aim.

But just as I watched a thick finger tighten on the trigger, a deafening buzz filled the air, and a blinding flash of light erupted from behind me. The sudden burst of energy seemed to have a mind of its own as it tore the gun from the guard’s hand and sent him writhing on the floor in agony.

“Halt!” Praxxan’s boots pounded against the metal flooring as he rushed into the chaos, flanked by a dozen guards.

The smoking blaster in his hand evidence that he had been the one to save Tarrick’s life.

The Kerzak guards gave up easily, raising their hands over their heads in a gesture of supplication.

Kayzon was not so swayed. Instead, his thick arm encircled my waist, jerking me off my feet, and I felt the press of a cold, sharp edge against my throat.

“Very impressive,” he taunted the brothers. “But not impressive enough.”

“Let Izzy go.” Tarrick faced us, his jaw set and his chocolate brown eyes seething. I let my gaze flicker over his body, noticing a light sheen of sweat on his chest, but he showed no other sign of injury.

“I am the one in the position to make demands. Not you,” Kayzon hissed, pressing the blade even harder against my throat. “I demand safe passage off this station, or I will kill her.” Spittle flew from his mouth as he spoke, hitting my cheek like drops of hot slime. Gross.

Tarrick took a step forward, seemingly unperturbed by Kayzon’s state—which, based on all the Law and Order I’d watched, spiraled with each breath. “You have hurt and terrified my mate. There will be no safe passage for you. Ever.”

Kayzon laughed, but the sound had lost its arrogance to a more manic tone. “You know I care nothing for the human. Give me safe passage, or she dies.”

Tarrick’s eyes flickered at me, their deep chocolate hue growing softer and more affectionate. His lips twitched into a gentle smile. “Do you trust me, Izzy?”

“With my life,” I answered without hesitation and added, just in case Tarrick wasn’t fast enough to keep Kayzon from slitting my throat. “I love you.” No matter what happened, I didn’t want to go another second without saying those words to him.

Tarrick sucked in a deep breath, a faint smile playing across his features for a moment, before leveling his glare back to Kayzon.

“Last chance. Let my mate go.”

“Give me safe passage,” Kayzon roared, more droplets of hot spittle hitting my cheek.

“No,” Praxxan echoed the sentiment, coming to stand beside his brother, flanked by the guards. “Kayzon, you are under arrest for crimes against the Alliance and humankind.”

The laugh that boomed near my ear sounded desperate. “Then you have just condemned your precious human to death.”

In that terrifying moment, I felt the sharp edge of the blade press against my throat.

My heart hammered as I braced to feel the inevitable slice that would end my life.

But before Kayzon could carry out the deadly deed, I noticed Praxxan slyly hand Tarrick a small knife.

My mate moved with fluid grace, his wrist giving just the faintest flick and flinging the blade through the air.

I didn’t have time to take a breath before the blade hit its mark—right between Kayzon’s eyes.

A gurgled sound of surprise came from the thick gray lips as the beast staggered, the blade falling away from my throat.

I jerked away from his hold, looking back and, for a final time, meeting the eyes of the male who made my life a nightmare before he crumpled to the ground.

He seemed surprised to be dying. I hoped he went straight to hell. As for me, I headed for sheer heaven.

“Tarrick!” My voice cracked with a mixture of relief, regret, and a myriad of other feelings that I couldn’t quite identify.

It was like trying to hold on to a handful of water, slipping through my fingers before I could grasp it fully.

But amidst all the turmoil, there was an overwhelming sense of longing and love.

Before I could take a step, he was in front of me, his strong arms wrapping around my body and pulling me against his chest. I felt the warmth of his embrace, the steady beat of his heart against my cheek.

My feet no longer touched the ground as he held me tight, protecting me from the universe around us.

My whole body trembled as the adrenaline that fueled me during Kayzon’s attack slowly ebbed. My muscles felt weak, and my breath came in ragged gasps. Tarren’s hold on me shifted, and he swept me up in his arms, his sure strides taking me away from the carnage.

“All is well now, my precious Izzy. I have you, my mate.”

Kayzon was dead, Tarrick was here, and I was safe in his arms. Truly and completely safe.

Finally safe.

My body trembling with relief, I wrapped my arms tightly around Tarrick’s neck, feeling the warmth and strength of his embrace, and began to cry.