Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Consent

He surged away from the wall in a blind rage. Raptor lost his mind. He surprised Garret, easily overtaking him. Closing his fingers around the pale neck, he choked him while he lifted the man off the floor and away from Grace. He came very close to killing him. But he couldn't do it. Not yet. He might need a shield to get Grace out of the building. Then he'd kill him.

Raptor opened his hands and let Garret crumple to the floor.

The smarmy man gasped for breath. Not dead, but not in good shape.

He quickly used the hand-ties given to every Guardian. They were long, simple to use, and no species could get out of them. Raptor fastened Garret's hands behind his back and let the man wheeze.

Then he turned to his mate. Shuddering at the damage done to her face. He looked at the door. And realized that before he helped Grace, he needed to make sure that no one could get in the room. There wasn't time to pretend to be human. So, he simply barricaded the door with his powers. No one could unlock the door or break down what would seem like magically enhanced wood—with any known device.

It wasn't magic. It was just... him. His abilities. He glanced up at the ceiling and, with a thought, fried the security camera. He'd take care of the system just before they left the building. They might need the elevators. He didn't want to shut down the electricity yet. He'd need to do that to erase the security video.

He crouched beside Grace and carefully undid all the bindings holding her in the chair. He didn't want to jostle her, so Raptor left her in the chair as he tried to determine how badly she'd been hurt. The things he could see were repairable. She was bleeding from several cuts. Her face was swollen. He was more worried about what he couldn't see. Especially since Grace remained unconscious.

Garret hit her hard and repeatedly. Thinking about it, even for an instant, made him want to go to the man and start pounding his head in. Taking a deep breath, Raptor looked over to make sure the man hadn't moved. Garret was watching them.

Raptor glanced around the room and noticed a pillow on the couch in the corner. That would work. Raptor retrieved it. Unzipping the fabric, he removed the cushion. Then arranged the cover over Garret's head. The man was shaking. Repeatedly mumbling, "Don't kill me."

He told Grace's boss, "You disgust me. You'll beat a woman tied to a chair but start whining and begging the moment someone resists. Keep your mouth shut or I'll finish you." It was the only warning the man would get.

Now Garret couldn't see anything Raptor did, and if Grace awakened, she wouldn't have to look at his face.

He returned to her side and gently put two fingers on her wrist. It didn't look bruised, so touching her there shouldn't hurt. He took her pulse. It was a little fast. Raptor was concerned Grace might have a neck or brain injury. If she did, moving her could make things worse. He cursed the fact that he didn't have a health scanner or anything that would give him a definitive answer about what might be wrong with her.

But his body was pumping out Binding Pollen at an alarming rate, and that was a bad sign.

A Guardian's Binding Pollen manifested for only two reasons. It was used to convert his mate—from humanoid to Keeper. It also appeared when she needed healing, especially for any life-threatening injury or disease. Unfortunately, she couldn't lick his skin or sip the pollen from his mouth when she was unconscious.

He could try spreading a little of the pollen on her lips. It might help her wake up enough that he could give her more pollen and repair the critical damage. Once he was sure the worst internal damage was repaired, he could move Grace to his ship without adding to her injuries. Rubbing his fingers down his arms, Raptor collected some of the iridescent dust. He coated Grace's lips with it, then slipped one finger just inside her mouth so hopefully she could taste the pollen. Her natural instinct would be to want more, and she'd lick her lips.

He was lucky that the properties of the pollen had changed to caring and comfort. It would stay that way until she healed completely. Any time his Keeper became injured or sick, the aphrodisiac properties of the Binding Pollen disappeared. Her health would always be his first concern.

Frowning down at her, he focused on the slight rise and fall of her chest. She was breathing. Not moving. Her head rested on the back of the chair, and she was completely boneless. Carefully holding her hand, he lightly ran his thumb over her skin. He noticed her freckles more. She was so pale. It was as if all the blood had drained from her flesh.

Her tongue slipped out, and she licked the pollen from her lips.

That simple act brought him to his knees. Brought him hope that eventually she would be okay. The small amount of pollen wouldn't heal her, and neither would it tie her to him. But it was enough to give her system a little boost.

Raptor didn't want to take Grace's choice away from her. Any more of the Binding Pollen could start a process she might not choose to complete. She needed to give her consent for more. Because if he didn't give her more pollen and get her to the healing bay on the ship—soon—she could die.

Remaining here wasn't an option. The bodyguard would come back and demand entry. When he didn't get it, the man would probably escalate and use force. Raptor couldn't fight his way out of this room while also carrying Grace and dealing with Garret. She had to be well enough to move. In the state she was in, carrying her might kill her, and she certainly wasn't capable of walking.

Grace shifted her body the tiniest amount and groaned. She tried to raise her head.

Raptor moved closer and carefully squeezed her hand, so she'd feel him. "I'm here Grace."

She hissed and whispered. "Shhh. Not so loud. And oh, God. Turn out the lights. My head is killing me." Lifting her arms, she put her hands over her eyes, even though they were swollen shut.

He quickly used his psychic kinetic ability to turn off the lights. Frowning down at her. Raptor knew that sensitivity to light and sound, and a headache, were all signs of a brain injury.

"I'm going to be sick," she mumbled.

Raptor stood and grabbed the wastebasket. He noticed Garret moving his hands in the ties, trying to wiggle out or break free. But he knew it wouldn't happen, so he ignored the man.

He put the small container on Grace's lap and guided her hands to the rim. He helped prop her up. "Here. Use this."

She didn't need further guidance. When she finished. She lay her head back on the chair. When he tried to remove the wastebasket, she kept her grip on it. "Don't take it yet. Head hurts bad. I'm so dizzy and sick. I might need it."

Silently, Raptor cursed. Dizziness and vomiting were additional signs she had a pretty severe brain injury.

Grace reached out until she touched his arm, sliding down to find his hand. "Where's Garret?" she whispered, her voice barely there. "Did you kill him?" Her eyes were so swollen she couldn't see anything. There truly was no way she could walk out of here.

Raptor needed help. He could only pray that the other Guardian was nearby. "No. He's tied up and laying on the floor. We're barricaded in the room. I'm about to see if our backup has arrived."

Grace frowned and squeezed Raptor's hand. He had to lean down to hear her whisper. Her voice was slow, and a little slurred. "I forgot. Garret has a helipad on the roof of this building. There is an entrance to the stairs. No one ever seems to use it. I heard a rumor once that there is a secret staircase to the roof from his office."

Raptor looked over at Garret. The man's body had gone rigid at her words. He'd bet a favorite body part that somewhere in this room was their escape route. Which meant the bodyguard probably knew there was another way in. Siluthien Hell!

"I'm sorry, Raptor. I think I'm dying." Grace's soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

He leaned closer, putting his lips right next to her ear. "You won't die. I have a magic cure. You just have to want it. Want to live." He tempted.

She squeezed his hand again. "Do. More time. You. Kayla. Baby."

He'd take that as consent.

Raptor turned his back on Garret, then leaned over and kissed Grace. She responded slowly. Moving her lips, a little at first, opening so he could slip his tongue inside. As the Binding Pollen added to her strength, she reacted more.

The bump on the roof of his mouth was there for just this reason. When his mate became sick or injured and couldn't do it herself, he could rub his tongue across the raised area and stimulate a deluge of pollen.

Perfect for times when she was almost comatose. Like now .

The spicy, sweet taste filled his senses. Grace's tongue slipped between his lips and lapped at the essence. Even though she'd never done this before, her instincts kicked in. Part of her recognized that the pollen contained a potent healing elixir. In a few moments, she would consume enough that he could move her without causing more damage.

Kissing her was both heaven and hell.

Heaven, because he'd often imagined how she'd taste. How soft her lips would be. What it would be like to hold her in his arms, her body next to his. Raptor had dreamed about this kiss.

It was hell because this kiss couldn't be all the things he dreamed of. Raptor wanted to claim her. Body and soul. But that would need to wait until her brain injury healed. As the seconds wore on, he pulled her closer. Deepening the kiss, it became harder to remember that he was taking care of her. Aiding her healing.

Grace lifted her arm and pressed her hand to the back of his neck, pulling him closer. He realized this was getting out of hand. He needed to stop. To pull away. Or this would go from healing—to more than they had the time and privacy to deal with. She'd taken enough pollen for now.

It would be safe to move her from this building to his shuttle, and then to the spaceship.

Reluctantly, he lifted his head and pulled away.

Grace sighed and let her hands slip from his chest. She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes. A frown played across her face. "I like your miracle cure. The nausea is a little better. Headache, too." She opened her eyes and looked up at him for a quick second. "Your magic kiss helped. Are you going to tell me how that worked?" She let her lids fall.

She was better, but far from healed.

He grinned. Happy she'd remembered his comments about a magic cure. "Yes. Like everything else, we'll have that talk when we're safe." Raptor knew he'd said a version of that too often.

Eyes still closed, she snorted. "I won't forget," she warned him.

He was counting on it. A beep in his brain signaled help was close.

He reached up and tapped the skin behind his ear. His ability to record audio and video was part of his built-in communications device. The Interstellar gods always made sure their Guardians had the resources they needed. They didn't carry personal communications devices that could be lost or taken from them. Theirs were an integrated part of their physiology. The communications system didn't depend on a specific planet or country's abilities. If a Guardian was in the area, the internal devices worked.

"Raptor here," he said softly.

Grace opened one eye and stared at him.

He reached out his hand, and she took it.

"This is Dahvid. I'm hovering above your life-signal. Can I help in any way?"

He knew neither Grace nor Garret could hear the conversation. Raptor didn't care about the man on the floor, but he wanted his mate to understand that help was on the way. He mouthed, Backup, and she grinned and relaxed. Closing her eyes once more, her body went limp. She needed more pollen and the healing bay on his ship.

The emotions flooding his soul at that moment almost brought Raptor to his knees. They weren't safe yet, but they were close. He turned back to watch Garret as he said the next words, "We are in an office on the top floor of the building. Can you land on the roof? I was told there is a helipad."

The man jerked, then started struggling wildly. If he thought he could escape his fate, he was wrong.

Just a few seconds later, Dahvid answered, "Affirmative. I am on the roof, my ship cloaked."

"There should be two entrances. One will be very visible. That is the main staircase. You could use it, but there are armed guards on this floor and possibly throughout the building. Look for a smaller entrance. Something that might be hidden or camouflaged."

Garret's struggles became more pronounced.

Which only made Raptor feel as if he was on the right track. Within moments—the wall panel beside the closet swung open—and out walked a fellow Guardian.

A panel between the closet and the bathroom opened into the room. A tall, blond man stepped through and surveyed everything in a swift glance. He noted the man writhing on the floor—the woman passed out in the chair, and then nodded at him.

Raptor shook his head. "They hid the entrance to the roof very well. We wouldn't have found it without help."

Dahvid's blue eyes narrowed. "It leads to a trapdoor. One camouflaged with paint and metal rings that I assume are tie-downs for their aircraft."

Garret hissed. "You can't keep me tied up. I demand to know what is going on." He kicked his feet against the floor. Throwing a fit.

Both of the Guardians ignored the man.

Dahvid tilted his head, pointing his chin at Grace. "You are welcome to take the injured woman to my ship and use the medical bay."

Raptor reached down and smoothed a lock of hair from his mate's face. He turned back to the room and strode over to Garret, lifting the man to his feet. Raptor pulled the pillowcase off Garret's head. "I need you to take this terrorist to your ship and keep him alive for a few days. This man beat and nearly killed my Keeper. I've given Grace enough Binding Pollen to heal the worst of her injuries, but she will need more pollen and the medical bay on my ship in order to heal all the damage this man did."

Dahvid slapped him on the back. "Congratulations on finding your Keeper. I'm so sorry she was hurt. It would honor me to keep this man for you. Is there anything else you need?"

"Who are you two?" Garret demanded.

Again, they ignored him. Raptor dug the data devise out of his pack.

Garret's eyes widened in horror when the man saw what he held. He jerked, trying to escape Raptor's hold.

Raptor struggled to keep the disgust off his face. "Thank you. Grace discovered that this man poisoned the town's water supply. Creating miscarriages and causing many people to sicken and die." He handed Dahvid the small black device. "We uncovered this, hidden in his office. Her computer needs to be retrieved from the first-floor maintenance closet. It is at the bottom of the garbage can. The best way to get there would be to use the stairs just outside this room. I'll warn you—this man has several guards on this floor and possibly throughout the building. The security camera database also needs to be destroyed. Once that is done, the building won't have electricity until someone thinks to reset the breaker. You won't be able to use the elevators and any electric locks will have to be broken. Do we need electricity to get up to the roof?"

Dahvid shook his head. "No. Our way to the roof is clear. But let me worry about the rest after I secure our prisoner onboard my spaceship. You need to get your Keeper to safety. Do you require a ride to your ship?"

"No. My shuttle is nearby. I'll remote it to the roof. I have one more request. It could take days for Grace to heal. We know this man and this company created a chemical that he sold as a fertilizer. He has been dumping the poison in the town's water supply and possibly replicating the evil in other places. He bragged about having a direct connection from this building to the town's water source. That is how he adds the poison. Since it might be days before she is better, I would like you to stop the flow of chemicals and see if there is any way to clean the contaminated water. Then, if you would begin checking the data on this device and what she has on her computer—it might save her some time when she recovers. She is going to want to find out if he's poisoning other communities."

Garret screamed. "No! you can't do that. You'll ruin me. The others will kill me."

Raptor grinned. "It seems pretty clear he is. And oh, Garret, I hope they do kill you. The entire point of this mission was to stop you. You and any of your associates."

Dahvid snarled at the man and pushed him toward the stairs.

Raptor turned and lifted his Keeper in his arms.

Grace woke enough to ask, "Where going?"

Lips to her ear, he replied, "Shuttle. Safe."

She sighed and a bare wisp of sound brought the words, "Gun. Desk," to his ears.

He frowned and realized she must have hidden her gun. "Dahvid," he called. "My woman left her gun under the desk. I promise I'll explain later. Can you collect that too?"

Dahvid's blue eyes gleamed with laughter. "Oh, you bet. But I definitely want the story."

Just as they started up the stairs, Raptor heard the bodyguard knock on the door. "Garret, you locked the door. Let me back in."

Dahvid looked at him.

Raptor shrugged. "They can't get in. I barricaded it. But you might need to wait a bit before you try to retrieve her backpack. The guards will swarm the building. Especially when they discover he is missing. They'll check the roof. You should find somewhere else to park for a while."

Dahvid grinned. "Or I can create a diversion that pulls everyone out of the building."

Raptor smiled back. "That would be faster. My ship is parked by the school next door. The shuttle is just below us. Give me fifteen minutes and you won't need to worry about blowing us up."

Dahvid pushed Garret in front of him. They climbed up to the trapdoor, and one by one, walked out onto the roof.

Before Raptor could straighten, Garret took off, running toward the edge.

Both men watched him for a few seconds. Dahvid's voice was matter-of-fact, "I think he plans to jump off this building. Five stories might not kill him. Do you need him alive?"

"No. We'll probably end up killing him, anyway. But if you can keep him alive long enough for my mate to discuss a few things with him, that would be great."

Garret turned and looked behind him. Running was difficult, with his hands tied behind his back. When he realized no one was chasing him, he stopped before changing direction and then ran toward the stairs.

"Oh, this will be fun," Dahvid drawled.

Running full out now—Garret slammed into an invisible barrier. He fell backward, lying boneless on the roof—knocked cold. The spaceship shimmered into view for just a second and then disappeared again.

Both men chuckled.