Chapter 10

Is Coogan currently on the job?" Logan Parrish, the prince consort, asked Quincy.

We were in one of the security-level meeting rooms with Prince Ye Lena, Logan, and several members of my team who had been working the distribution center case in my absence. I'd thought it best to bring the prince consort in after Quincy revealed that Murray Coogan was a police officer since Logan was former law enforcement. Of all of us, he would understand how best to proceed with the humans.

"Yes," Quincy said. "I mean, as far as I know, he still is."

"Okay, then this is something for the Akron PD's Internal Affairs investigators to handle. I don't know anyone with Akron PD, but I can dive in and find out how to contact their IA." Logan looked around at each of us with his eyebrows raised. "Unless we want to go through my former captain? Someone we already know we can trust?"

I hadn't considered that. "Is there a possibility that Internal Affairs would fail to investigate?"

Logan shrugged. "Is the Akron PD investigating the centers, too? Or is it just us?"

"We've been in contact with them," Specialist Munni answered. "I've spoken with detectives and the deputy chief of the investigative subdivision." He glanced at me as he said, "They were assisting with your abduction, sir, until your recovery, and are still investigating the centers."

"Have they been transparent with their findings?" Logan asked Munni. "Keeping you in the loop as they make discoveries?"

Munni nodded. "Detective Caden Brudnicki has been communicating with me daily about their work on the case. He has asked to speak with both you, sir, and Quincy so that he may move against your abductors."

"Okay," Logan said, "Brudnicki sounds like he's on our side, so I think we should get in touch with him, give him what we know, and let him get IA involved with Coogan."

"And we—" I shared a glance with Quincy "—will speak with the detective as well."

Quincy nodded agreement.

While I didn't like handing everything over to the humans and stepping back, it was the only way for us to achieve justice for the wrongs committed against myself and the Norlon properties.

I looked to Munni. "Could you arrange a time for us to speak with Brudnicki?"

"Absolutely, sir." He began tapping at his tablet.

"Will we go down to the surface?" Quincy asked, looking at me.

I winced as it only now occurred to me that I had removed him from his entire life on Earth. Clothing and other necessities had been provided to him, but surely he had other personal items he wished to have around him. He had a home that could need his attention. Did he have a profession? People who were missing him? He hadn't asked for the means to contact anyone on the surface, though.

Quincy chuckled. "Stop looking so panicked. Everything's fine."

"I abducted you."

He took my hand and shook his head as he laughed again. "Only technically. I'm just asking because if we do go down, there's other stuff I should do while we're there."

I nodded and squeezed his fingers. "Then we will go down for as long as you need."

"You can keep being away from your duties?" He glanced at Munni and the others.

"Special dispensation for the newly mated. It won't last forever, but we can take advantage while it's available to us."

Quincy grinned widely, his eyes crinkling. "Then let's do that."

With a meeting scheduledfor the following afternoon with Detective Brudnicki, I arranged for transportation down to Earth that would deposit us as close to Quincy's home as possible. That meant landing in the swath of pavement beside the nearest distribution center. It was considered Norlon property and the hope was that it would disturb the humans the least by landing there.

Our arrival didn't go unnoticed, of course. Passing vehicles slowed or outright stopped so their passengers could gawk. Pedestrians stood and took out their devices to record us. I walked out, on alert, and Quincy raised his hand to wave at everyone. I couldn't help smiling at his antics.

"I should've asked someone to find out if we made the news," Quincy said as we began walking to his street by way of sidewalks instead of cutting through yards this time. "See if there's anything ongoing about us."

"I imagine there is some, given your driving skills."

He snorted a laugh and shoved at my arm. "I was evading capture, thank you very much. Oh, but that reminds me. Where the fuck is my truck?" He cringed exaggeratedly. "There could be some trouble there."

"In what way? Coogan and his ilk stole it."

"Right, but we stole his van first. Somebody's van anyway."

I shrugged, unconcerned. "Given all that they did beforehand, there is a case to be made in our favor."

"Oh, yeah! Like self-defense and escaping capture." He waved it all away. "We'll be fine."

We walked onward, and I found myself anticipating which way to go to reach his home. I hadn't been there long, but I could scent that it was his even with him beside me. He would probably think it disgusting that the smell of him permeated the air at such a distance, but I found it comforting to follow my nose to where he lived.

Quincy looked up at me and squinted. "What's with all the tongue flicking?"

I eyed him as we waited for traffic to stop so we could cross a street.

"What?" he asked.

"I know which way to go."

He looked around. "But this isn't how we got there last time. How can you—" His squinting became more of a glare. "Are you smelling where my house is?"

I smiled. "Yes."

"Dude. Ew." He stomped off across the street.

I was right.

None of his neighbors seemed to be home when we arrived at his house, so there was no one around to question what had happened days ago or why we had returned. Why I had returned, to be specific. As I followed him to the main door this time instead of the underground one, I had to wonder if he had people to tell about me.

"Do you have family, Quincy?"

"Nah, it's just me." He unlocked the door and led the way inside. "I mean, I have cousins and such, but we're not close. They'd come running if I won the lottery, but that's about the only reason." He looked up and me and winked. "While I think mating you is like winning the lottery, I don't think they will."

I wasn't certain what a lottery was in this context, but assumed his words held a compliment for me somewhere. "I'm sorry you don't have more concerned people."

He shrugged one shoulder. "It's fine. I've got some friends I could update, but you said I can get my phone hooked into the comms on the ship whenever I want to call anyone. It's cool. Do you have family?"

"I do. There were seven in my clutch, and I have four parents."

"Clutch?"

"My mother laid seven eggs, including mine. While she had other clutches, I consider those my immediate siblings." I watched closely for his reaction, knowing humans were birthed more like other Norlons, without eggs.

Quincy's mouth popped open, rounding like his eyes.

"I also have four parents because Cero females often mate with multiple males."

A barking sort of laugh jumped out of him. He covered his mouth and giggled. "Holy crap, that's incredible! Seriously, I had no idea, but it's so fucking cool. How little was baby Rampon after he hatched?"

Well, that was an excellent reaction. I wasn't certain what I had thought he might do, but I relaxed now and held out my hand. "I would have fit in my hand."

He put both of his hands in mine, filling the space. "Oh my god, I bet you were so cute."

I chuckled self-consciously since I had been the smallest. It was oddly appealing, though, that he would have had to hold newborn-me with both hands.

"Little baby dragon," Quincy said with a laugh.

"Dragon?"

"Oh, uh…" His face quickly turned rather red. "That's just what you make me think of. I know some people say ‘lizard' when they see Ceros, but I think of you as dragons." He shrugged like it was nothing, but his expression looked worried.

I understood. "I don't mind that humans refer to us in terms of the animals of this planet. I know what I am, and I am more than a beast."

Quincy chuckled in a wicked way before clearing his throat.

"You think me a beast?"

"Only sometimes." He walked away down the hall. "In bed."

I grinned at his back as my cock stirred. I'd mated him for the first time in this place and wouldn't be against doing so again. I followed after him, anticipation firing my blood. Arriving in a room ringed by cabinets and cooking appliances, I saw only the table beside him and how it was at an excellent height.

Quincy looked up at me, biting his bottom lip, and I grabbed him up. He laughed in a startled way that quickly morphed into something low and sexy as I lowered him down onto the table. Immediately, he spread his legs to give me room and pulled me down over him.

"Naughty beast," he whispered with a cheeky grin.

I paused on my way to kissing him to laugh. "Delicate human."

He gasped. "Excuse me? Who's delicate?" He tried to push me back, and the only reason I didn't comply immediately was because he started laughing at how unable he was to move me. "Fuck, it's like trying to move a mountain!"

I took his hand from my chest and kissed his palm. "One whispered word from you, and I would?—"

"I know." He cupped my cheek and stared into my eyes with a soft expression. "You'd never take what I didn't want to give."

"Never."

"Asking for consent is hella sexy," he said before he pulled me in for a kiss.

I flicked my tongue into his mouth and relished his moan. He shivered when I gave him some of my weight and hitched his natural leg up over my waist. I wanted to reach between us and undress him, but the position demanded that I brace myself and the regenerating stump of my forearm was unable to handle the weight. Going down onto my elbow solved that but did squash him against the table. He laughed into our kiss, and I drew back.

"How about we go upstairs and find out if you fit on my bed?"

"Excellent idea."

I wiggled my complete arm underneath him and hauled him against me, picking him up. He giggled adorably as he clung to me, and I turned to find a staircase to the next level up.

A loud bell sound stopped me.

Quincy frowned, looking toward the hall. "Who could that be?"

I set him on his feet, assuming he needed to see who had arrived instead of ignoring the bell as my cock wished he would. "Perhaps one of your neighbors saw us arrive and has questions."

He groaned before heading toward the door. "Nothing like a friendly neighborhood interrogation."

I stayed where I was, not certain if I should approach right away. Quincy opened the door, and I heard him gasp.

Outside I could see that there were six men dressed in dark uniforms, their waists ladened with equipment, and golden badges pinned to their shirts. They were police officers, so I walked toward Quincy. Had there been some confusion regarding out meeting with Brudnicki? Was he here with his team?

"Quincy Boone?" the officer closest to the door asked.

"Yeah? What's going on?"

The officer yanked open the thin door and stepped in as Quincy backpedaled. Startled myself by the sudden aggression, I quickly got in close behind him, ready to get in front and protect him if necessary.

"Stand down!" the officer shouted. "You're both under arrest!"