Stealing Jia (Coletti Warlords #12) - Gail Koger Page 0,17

one grenade in a shabby warehouse, the other in a bunker with an open door and bolted. I cringed as a laser beam sizzled past me. Another inch and I would have been headless. Diving over the plasticrete barrier, I landed on top of Loki and accidently kneed him in the groin. “Ooops. Sorry.”

“I doubt that.” With a grunt, Loki pushed me off. “How many more grenades do you have?”

“A couple or three.” I covered Pepe’s ears as he snuggled against me. “There’s going to be loud scary noises, but you’re safe with me.”

Loki snorted.

All hell broke loose as the warehouse and bunker blew with thunderous cracking booms. The ground shuddered and shook as blazing shrapnel flew in every direction and set buildings on fire. Thick black smoke blotted out the sun.

I flinched when a flying door crashed down beside us. “Wonder what kind of explosives were in that bunker?”

“My guess would be thermite grenades, warheads and some air defense missiles,” Ivan replied.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! More explosions rocked the area. Careening shards of flaming plasticrete pelted the marketplace. Whoosh! The flames spread rapidly through the stalls. The vendors ran for their lives. The smell of burning plasticrete was nauseating.

A volley of laser beams exploded around us, pinning us down. “Where’s the cavalry when you need it?”

Loki returned fire. “Threll’s air defenses have never been breached.”

“Give me the thermite grenades you have left,” Loki ordered.

I pulled two off my belt and handed them to him. “You got a plan?”

“I do. We blow the underground fuel storage tanks.” Loki took out two thugs climbing onto the roof of the building next to us.

Ivan smiled. “Which will also destroy their laser canons, missile systems and shields generator.”

“Great idea. How do we get access to the fuel depot?”

“We have to go through them,” Loki answered.

I took a quick look. Merda! There had to be at least twenty heavily armed goons. It was a suicide mission. We needed a distraction. My gaze fell on Pepe and I flashed him an image of the thugs. “I need you to be really sneaky and drop this grenade. “I held it up. “In that building behind those men over there and run like crazy back to me. Can you do that?”

“Me can.”

Ivan stared down at Pepe. “Just might work.”

Setting the timer, I held out the grenade. “Go fast like the wind.”

Pepe gently took it in his mouth and scampered up the wall to the roof.

I mouthed silently; Oh Lord I pray for your protection as we fight for our lives. Protect us from trouble wherever we go. Taking a deep breath, I popped up, fired at the goons, and smiled at the flurry of fireflies. Four down and another sixteen to go. I dropped back down as their buddies unleashed a barrage of energy beams. It was a good thing plasticrete absorbed laser blasts or we’d be very dead.

Loki gave me a funny look. “Are you sure you are not a Jones?”

“Don’t know. I’m an orphan and I haven’t a clue who my parents were.” I glanced down at the timer on my comm-link. “Be quick like a bunny Pepe.”

A shuttle landed as Pepe shot out of the building.

“Don’t let them see you,” I cautioned.

“Me won’t.” Pepe darted around it.

The shuttle’s landing ramp lowered, and more goons poured out.

In my mind’s eye I could see Pepe running across the roof. “Good boy.”

Pepe skittered down the wall and jumped into my lap. “Me fast like the wind.”

Kablooey! The building disintegrated, raining large chunks of debris down on the shuttle and the goons.

“Stay put,” Ivan commanded and took off running. Loki was right on his heels.

I watched them disappear in the smoke. If this didn’t work… I twitched as a funny tingling sensation crawled through my mind. What in the hell?

“You are a very clever female and a deadly warrior. Everyone will envy me,” Trayon said proudly.

Arrrgh! It was like talking to a wall. “Do you really think mental osmosis works? Well, it doesn’t. Leave me the hell alone.”

“You are my mate Jia. You cannot change what is.”

“No! You don’t get it. I don’t want or need a male in my life.”

“You wish to find Adam and kill Giovanni, do you not?”

He had me there. “I do.”

“You need me to accomplish that.” Trayon stroked my mind.

Hot coils of bliss twisted inside me. Merda. Did that feel good.

Ghostly hands caressed my body. “I can also teach you the pleasures of the flesh.”

Shock rolled over me. Cazzo! I was in