Page 25 of Taming the Alien Outlaw (Brides of the Bohnari #2)

Olivia

I’ve had just about enough of getting kidnapped.

The city is in complete, but what feels like controlled, chaos.

Buildings burn and the acrid smoke hurts my throat and lungs.

Guards run down streets in front of us, but it’s clear they’re heading some place specific, because they don’t even glance our way.

I cling to Quinn and, in front of us, Devon and Lindsey clasp each other’s arm.

The other six women in our group all appear to be in various stages of shock.

The remaining ten were separated from us and taken by more rebels god knows where.

Me? I’m pissed. I’m also worried about Mak.

She’d gone crazy when I locked her in my apartment, but it was the only way I could keep her safe.

Who knows what these fuckers would have done to her?

No way am I going to tell Janik that I got his phinnek killed.

I have no doubt I’ll see him again either.

I just have to be patient and not let my mouth get me into trouble, because I don’t think the guys who took us would appreciate my sarcasm and snark like my man does.

“You doing okay?” I ask Quinn.

“I’ll be better when Horek comes and kicks these guys’ asses.”

I snort laugh. “You and me both.”

“They’ll find us,” she says.

“Oh, I know they will.”

We trudge through the city, surrounded by a contingent of rebels—ten by my count—but none of whom I recognize. Not that I was in their camp long enough to get to know any of them. Only one was familiar to me, and I still have no idea who he’s working for.

“It was Bannik.”

Quinn glances at me in question.

“He’s the one who snuck me out of the rebel camp and returned me to Preska.”

Her eyes widen. “What the fuck? He’s a rebel?”

I shrug. “Or a spy for Alik. I honestly don’t know, but I plan on finding out when I see Janik again.”

“Where do you think they’re taking us?” Devon asks over her shoulder.

They wouldn’t take us back into the rainforest. Not if there’s a chance Janik will lead Horek to the camp. Whoever’s in charge at the moment has to know that. “I’m not sure.”

We walk several more blocks, somehow still evading anyone who might be searching for us, until the lead rebel holds up a hand and we come to a stop.

My head is starting to pound from the alarm that keeps blaring.

I’m pretty sure the whole planet knows the city is under attack by now so if they could shut it off any second, that’d be great.

Suddenly, another sound slips past the irritating warning from somewhere behind us. I strain my ears, praying I didn’t imagine it. When it comes again, a smile curls my lips. It’s the most beautiful noise I’ve ever heard.

“Mak.” Quinn breathes out the name.

I’m not making shit up then if she hears it, too. “Hang tight, ladies. One angry phinnek is coming our way, which also means two even angrier Bohnari males are right on her heels.”

“Ooooh,” Devon coos. “These guys are about to get fucked up.”

Yeah, they are.

At last, the rebels must hear the same thing we do, because they glance around nervously. I don’t try to hold back my laughter. “You’re gonna be sorry, now.”

“Shut your mouth, female,” a rebel snaps.

That just pisses me off more. “Don’t call me female, you stupid fuck face. I have a name.”

He raises his hand, but the strike never comes.

Instead, a flash of copper and teal fur blazes past and then a scream fills the air.

It’s not the phony scream Janik released either when he and Mak were play fighting.

This is a sound of pure agony that’s only more terrifying when it cuts off abruptly and a faint gurgle replaces it.

Bile rises in my throat, but I swallow it down.

Don’t look . Someone else must, because there’s a retching noise followed by vomiting.

Gross. Pounding flesh and groans surround us.

I finally glance around and my breath catches.

Janik and Horek— with the help of Mak—are taking on the remaining nine rebels and from the looks of it, they’re winning.

Of course, they both are spurred on by the mating fever that races through them and the feral need they have to protect their mates.

I stare at Janik as he fights. He’s even more vicious than he was with Lorik the night he captured me.

Then again, he didn’t know I was his heart’s fire at the time.

His claws are out and he slices at the male who’s far too desperate or stupid to know he’s going to lose.

I jerk my head to the side and squeeze my eyes shut as the blood sprays.

While I hurt that he’s had to kill yet another one of his people, I can’t feel bad that the guy’s dead.

Who knows what these rebels had planned for us?

Between the two mated Bohnari and the phinnek, our kidnappers don’t stand a chance, and it’s over before it really even got started.

Ten males lie scattered around, either dead or severely injured.

Horek comms someone and gives them our coordinates to send medical assistance.

He also sends orders to continue searching for the rest of the humans.

Then, his gaze zeroes in on Quinn who rushes forward and throws herself into his arms.

I seek out Janik and Mak and drink in the sight of them.

They’re both covered in blood, but that doesn’t stop me from slowly walking forward.

My mate meets me more than halfway and then I’m breathing him in as he envelops me in his tight embrace.

I clutch him just as hard, my fingers digging into the taut muscles of his back.

He’s my lifeline, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to let him go.

Mak nudges me and whimpers, almost as if she’s reassuring herself I’m okay. I don’t release Janik, but I glance down at her and give her head and ears a comforting stroke.

“I knew you’d find us.” It’s for both of them.

“You were right about my moth…about Mohneek.” His voice is filled with immense pain.

“I’m sorry.” She may be an evil bitch, but she’s also the only mother he’s known. I’m not sure it’s a betrayal he’ll ever recover from. “You spoke to her, then?”

Janik nods. “She stole me as a youngling in order to raise me as part of her plot for revenge against the king after what he did to her.”

“What did he do?” Horek and Quinn approach us, neither appearing to want to let go of the other either.

“According to her, he was visiting Noleska when the mating fever struck. He went mad and attacked my mother’s father, almost killing him.

When she intervened to try and save his life, the king turned on her and was so overcome with mating lust that he…

used her violently. After it was over, he dumped a pouch of credits next to her and left the city immediately.

” Janik recounts the story his mother had told him.

“She told me she gave birth to a sickly son who died. I was taken, because she wanted the king to suffer as much as she had. She raised me to despise both Danik and Alik, to think them corrupt. Her goal was to get me to go to war with the prince, killing him in the process. She thought having all the riches afforded to her as the mother of the newest prince was the least she deserved.”

“Jesus,” Quinn rasps out.

My heart breaks at his pain. I try to feel bad for Mohneek, but it’s difficult after everything she’s done.

Who knows, though? Maybe if I’d been raped and the child that resulted from it died, I might have wanted revenge against the man who wronged me, too.

Either way, it’s clear the poor woman isn’t well and hasn’t been for a long time.

“That’s not possible,” Horek says.

“What isn’t?” I ask, confused.

“King Danik wasn’t on Bohna before he mated Queen Veroneek.

He and several high lords of the Bohnari council had traveled to Kovari in order to arrange a trade agreement,” Horek explains.

“The Kovarians were being difficult and the negotiations took place over an entire anum. He remained on their planet for the duration to prove he was sincere in his desire to broker a deal.”

I glance at Janik and back to Horek. “If it wasn’t the king, then who was it?”

Neither males have an answer. Will Janik ever discover the culprit?

Approaching footsteps catch the attention of both males and the phinnek. They push us behind them and prepare to defend us. A small retinue of guards burst around the corner. With them are several males wearing the uniform I’ve seen on all the healers.

“Commander,” the guard in the lead says.

Horek breaks away from us to speak with his men while Janik drags me back into his arms. Devon and Lindsey join us, while the other women remain huddled together against the wall of the nearest building.

“I’ve never been more glad to see a bunch of guards as I am to see them,” Lindsey says.

She stares at the bodies strewn about and shudders.

“Are all those guys dead? Did you guys know I’ve seen another dead body once before.

Although that one hadn’t been quite as recently dead as those over there.

I mean, it doesn’t make any of them more or less dead just because the one I saw had been dead longer than those over there. ”

Devon gently clasps the sides of Lindsey’s head and draws her gaze away from the bodies. “Look at me. Nowhere else, okay? Just look at me and breathe. Nice and slow. In and out.”

Thankfully, Lindsey does what Devon says. They stare at each other, with Devon leading their breathing until the other woman’s slows and evens out. Lindsey shudders again and for a second I expect her to start bawling, but she manages to keep herself together far better than I think I would.

“Okay, now?” Devon asks her, and she nods.

Slowly, she releases her, but puts herself in a position so that Lindsey isn’t able to see the bodies, not all of whom appear to be dead. In spite of everything that’s happened, I’m sure that’s a relief to Janik and Horek. Alik, as well, even if he’s not aware of what’s going on.

The other six women finally appear to be snapping out the shock that’s held them, because a couple are crying, while Cadence, Molly, and Geneva join our small group.

“Do you think the others are okay?” Cadence asks.

“The guards will find them,” Quinn replies, although it’s not really an answer.

I guess that’s all she needed to hear, because she nods. Speaking of guards reminds me about Bannik. I glance up at Janik, who still hasn’t released me. Not that I’m complaining.

“One of Horek’s guards was the one who took me out of the camp and brought me back to Preska. I’m just not sure if he’s Team Alik or Team Janik.”

Janik goes rigid. “Who?”

“Bannik.”

My mate curses. “He is part of the rebellion.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Quinn says, and I look at her to explain. “That day we ran into Janik in the market and then had lunch at Erik’s, Bannik and I went for a walk after we were done eating. Do you remember?”

That’s right. I nod.

“We talked about the difference between the upper and bottom tiers. He was disgusted by the fact that there are people who are wealthier than they could possibly need to be, and yet, they still want more. I guess his brother is like that.”

“That is how we were able to recruit him,” Janik says. “His hatred for his brother is well-known. We all believed Alik was no better. That he, too, always wanted more.”

“Everything the prince does is for his people.” Horek approaches. “He has no care for wealth for himself. All he wants is for Bohnari to thrive and for new generations to be born so that our planet doesn’t die out.”

Janik nods. “I am coming to believe you are right.”