“What will it take to open the collar?” Nikki had had her fill of aliens and elves. Her life in Sedona might be ordinary, but she was comfortable there and desperately wanted to return.
“We’re still working on that part.” Jaron rushed on before anyone could ask another question. “I heard a rumor that clean clothes and sonic showers might appeal to my passengers.”
“Oh my God, I’d kill for a shower and something else to wear,” Selina cried.
“The delay will be more tolerable for everyone if we clean up,” Velmar agreed.
“Well, that’s what I came to tell you,” Jaron said with a smile. “The bathing facilities are officially open.”
ZERNA STRONT STOOD on the balcony of her lover’s apartment, staring out over the largest city on Cretz. Hastos had told her the name, but it was odd and awkward and also irrelevant so she hadn’t retained the information. The Cretzian species might not be esthetically pleasing, but the planet itself had some spectacular scenery. One of the trees in the lush forests had leaves so dark a red they appeared purple. Jagged mountain peaks created a dramatic horizon beyond the vast green ocean. And the cities were surprisingly modern considering the primitive appearance of the primary inhabitants.
The hairs on the back of her neck stirred, alerting her to Hastos’ arrival. There was no sound, no flash of light, or rush of air to give away his entrance. She still found it impressive that such a hulking creature could move so stealthily.
“I thought you were going to work late tonight,” she said without turning around.
“Come inside. We need to talk.” He sounded grave and discouraged.
She wasn’t surprised. She already knew what Hastos was going to tell her and it wasn’t good. Every time she delegated a task to Hastos, he failed. He was a wonderful partner as long as she was there to coordinate the missions. If she trusted him to accomplish anything on his own, she was disappointed. The first time he’d failed, she’d given him the benefit of a doubt. Anyone could have an off day. The second time, she was less gracious. She screamed and yelled, smashing things until he grabbed her and threw her on the bed. They’d had angry sex then moved beyond it as if the fiasco had never happened.
This was his third failure, so she wasn’t sure how to react. If their relationship were ordinary, he would be dead already. But their relationship was far from ordinary. They were bound by a kwaris, a sacred tri-pronged pact between magical beings designed to make all three more powerful. If she killed Hastos, their other partner would come after her.
“There is no easy way to say this,” Hastos muttered as she moved into the apartment and closed the balcony door. “Velmar escaped tonight.”
He was probably expecting an emotional outburst. He wasn’t going to get one. It had done no good the last time, and she didn’t have the energy to indulge her temper tonight. “Was he still collared?” That was the one detail her spy had failed to obtain. Velmar was part of a past scheme, and she had been debating whether or not she could find another use for him. Now that he’d escaped, there was only one option. Velmar must die and die quickly.
“The collar was still in place when he ran from the detention center.”
She nodded. At least that was good news. “Can you track him with it?”
He expelled a sigh of frustration. “Ordinarily, I would say yes, but something on their ship is interfering with the signal.”
Preferring the confrontational pose, she remained standing in the middle of the room. “Then we have no idea if he’s still in this dimension or back in mine?” It was more likely that Velmar was long gone. The rescue team had to get here, so they would have needed someone who could form interdimensional portals. Unfortunately for her and Hastos, one of Velmar’s closest friends was a powerful sentinel, which meant his primary gift was creating just such portals.
“You tell me.” Hastos glared down at her. “How did Velmar’s rescuers locate a dimension you claim is inaccessible to your kind?”
The accusation in his voice finally sparked her temper. She had been prepared to focus on solutions, but if he wanted a fight, she’d be happy to oblige him. “Let me think, Hastos,” she sneered sarcastically. “Could it be that the idiots you used in your failed attempt to assassinate Malik Xett told the rebels all your darkest