The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,58
She’s so drekking desirable that I can’t resist her.”
Lisa laughed. “Don’t tell her that! You’re the one who started it.”
He winked. “And you’re the one who finished.”
Before she could respond, engine noises disrupted the quiet as vehicles pulled into the parking lot.
Multiple vehicles.
Sobering, they looked toward the window, then at each other.
“That was fast,” she whispered as she clumsily scrambled off him and stood beside the bed.
Taelon rose and crossed to one side of the window. Carefully moving the curtain an inch or two, he peeked outside.
Three shiny black vehicles rolled to a stop in the parking lot. One blocked the entrance. The other two parked in a V formation in the center, nose to nose. Doors opened. Soldiers garbed all in black stepped out.
“It’s them,” he murmured. “There are more this time. Three vehicles. Ten men. All armed.”
“Do you recognize any of them?” she asked.
“Agent Walker is with them. Looks like he’s in charge again. I see one more who was here with him before. And I think the one with the shaved head was at the base the night we escaped. The rest I don’t recognize.”
Walker strode toward the motel office, two soldiers on his heels.
“Any vampires in the mix?”
“I don’t see Roland or Marcus. If any other vampires walk among them, I can’t tell them apart from the humans. But no clouds darken the sun, so I think it unlikely.”
The motel clerk exited before they reached the door and spoke with them.
Walker said something.
The motel clerk nodded and waved toward the far end. Then he held one hand above his head as though describing someone’s height. He stared at Walker, his gaze darting to the tough-looking soldiers who accompanied him. Again he nodded and pointed toward Taelon and Lisa’s room.
Walker turned away. Reaching up, he touched a black device on his shoulder and spoke into it. A moment later, he said something over his shoulder to the clerk.
Eyes widening, the clerk nodded and hurried inside the motel office.
Walker and the two soldiers strode back to the vehicles.
Rustling drew Taelon’s attention away from the window.
Lisa leaned down, stretching her arms around her belly, and tried to don her shoes.
Taelon left the window and knelt before her. “We’re still taking the safe route,” he insisted, guiding her foot into the sneaker and swiftly tying the laces for her.
She rested a small hand on his shoulder. “Can you make that many men not see us without hurting yourself?”
He hoped he could but wasn’t certain. “Projecting an image into the part of the brain that interprets visual signals is easier that infiltrating the part of the brain that stores memories, then combing through present and past thoughts until I find the ones I seek.”
“Is that a yes or a no?”
He guided her other foot into the second shoe. “I wouldn’t have lured the soldiers here if I thought I couldn’t.”
“I’m still not hearing a yes or no.”
Sighing, he rose. The concern he saw in her eyes touched him deeply, because he knew it was for him rather than herself. “I should be able to.”
“But?”
He picked up the rifle, returned to the window, and peered out. “I am weak.”
“You aren’t weak, Taelon. You’re injured.”
“That doesn’t make it any easier to admit.” He wanted her to see him as a strong male capable of protecting them.
Outside, Walker led six soldiers to the room at the far end of the motel. The remaining three soldiers positioned themselves outside Taelon and Lisa’s room. “They’re breaching the other room now,” he said in a low voice that wouldn’t carry, “and have stationed three soldiers outside our door.”
She moved to stand beside him and took his hand.
Taelon laced his fingers through hers. “When they enter, remain silent. As soon as the doorway is clear, we’ll slip outside and determine which vehicle should carry us.”
“Okay.”
“Whatever happens, don’t speak.”
“Okay. Please, be careful.”
He nodded and pressed a kiss to her hand.
They didn’t have long to wait.
Taelon stepped back from the window as Walker approached their door.
“Anything?” one of the soldiers guarding it asked.
“No. And the room is clean, as though no one has stayed there.” He banged on the door. “DEA,” he called. “We’d like to ask you a few more questions.”
Lisa’s grip tightened.
“Are you sure they’re still in there?” another male asked.
“They should be. The clerk said they pay him in cash every night. Go ahead and open it.”
A key slid into the lock. The knob turned. Then the door swung open, admitting blindingly bright daylight.