Page 32 of The Interdimensional Lord's Earthly Delight
Grumbling, Lishelle slid out of bed, pulled on a night robe, and padded to the door ofthe suite where the comm was buzzing insistently. Why the bodyguard or whoever didn’t just send the message to her dat-pad—
She opened the door. “What—?” She blinked up at Tynan, her pulse skittering like the too-many legs of a mishkeet.
Since he was the reason she hadn’t been sleeping, for a heartbeat seeing him in the portal seemed like a dream come true.
Except she hadn’t been dreaming becauseshe hadn’t been sleeping.
Oh, and except he was locked up in the brig.
While she hesitated as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing—and why she was feeling this tremor of gladness—he reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist.
Before she could do more than gasp, he pulled her out into the hall, almost yanking her right out of her silk headscarf.
“Come on,” he growled. “Wehave to leave.”
“We?” Only then did she see the blaster in his hand and her erstwhile bodyguard crumpled beside the door. “Tynan! What have you done?”
“I’ve had enough,” he growled, “of being accused of crimes I didn’t commit.”
She slung an incredulous glance at the Thorkon soldier. “Who shot her?”
“Fine, yes, that was me. Stunned only.” He scowled. “She tried to prevent me from seeing you,and she was going to contact security.”
“She was protecting mefromyou!” Lishelle almost shrieked. “I’m not letting you take me again!”
His fingers tightened on her wrist. “I. Am. Not. Blackworm.” His voice rose with each word until he matched her for volume and insistence. “But his villainy follows me. And now you too.”
“Me?” Shock softened her locked knees, letting him pull her further alongthe corridor without resistance. “You’re the only one who is a danger to me.”
A danger to her in ways she hadn’t even realized, if the wayward pounding of her heart was any indication.
“Where are you taking me?” She tried to set her heels again, but her bare feet offered no traction on the cold, slick deck plating.
“I’m saving you,” he snarled.
“By abducting me again?” She tugged hard againsthis grip, but the strength she so admired when they were fucking was an affront to her now.
“I didn’t abduct you before,” he said with exaggerated patience that was clearly not patient at all. “That was Blackworm.”
As if he’d say it enough and she’d finally believe him.
And yet… Shouldn’t she be more afraid? After everything Trixie and Nor had said about the terrors Blackworm had inflictedon them at the edge of the event horizon? What Lishelle dredged up was outrage at his manhandling, not fear. But she’d never been one to let others tell her when she should be afraid, when she should give up. She wasn’t going to start now.
And Tynan—when had he becomenotBlackworm, at least in her own mind?—had never hurt her. He’d only brought her pleasure…
“Tynan,” she said more calmly. “Whereare you taking me?”
“Off the station,” he said. “Blackworm’s enemies aren’t done with him, and they think to hurt him by hurting you.”
“If that’s true, the duke and Captain Nor had assigned me security. I was safe in my rooms.”
He shot her a fulminating stare over his shoulder. “Igot you, didn’t I?”
Point to the multiple personality disorder schizophrenic alien, she mused wryly. “If thereare enemies as you say, we have to tell Raz and Nor what’s happening.”
Tynan hesitated. “We will, once you’re safe.” He hissed out a breath. “The dukes and captains of this age have grown soft. They would fail against the warlords of my time.”
Seemed like theyhadfailed, considering Tynan was dragging her away. She imagined that was going to piss them off royally. But if therewasa threatto the station, the upcoming wedding, and their best opportunity to make their new lives a success, she had to do something to help. She was used to struggle and sacrifice.