Read Lovers of the Galaxy: Book Three: Raiders of the Lost Heart for Free Online Page A

she concentrate on the younger one instead? The first
female was moving through the transformation quickly. Already she’d
spoken a few words telling them her name and that she was a year
older then her own forty two years.
    Arms wrapped around her from behind. Volund kissed
her neck. “Stop worrying. We will figure it out, but for now we
must find a place to begin to prepare as a home. Are you
ready?”
    She turned in his embrace and smiled. “I can’t wait
to go. I think I know of the perfect place.” She frowned. “But it
will need work—a lot of work.”
    “If it is the home you want then we will fix it and
make it perfect for us. Come. Jaxxon is waiting.” He kept his arm
around her waist as they made their way outside where his brother
stood at the gate.
    “So which way, beautiful warrior?” J axxon kissed her
cheek.
    She nodded to the left. “There is a large, old house
about two blocks away at the very edge of the park. We are building
the wall, yes? Can we extend it to go around the houses in that
direction between here and the park? We will need the housing as
your men find mates. Where are Badden and Acwel?”
    Jaxxon glanced down the road and then back at Volund.
“They are cleaning out the dead from the three nearby buildings and
securing them. Then they will retrieve a few computers from the
school. We were down this way yesterday, hunting. I will take
Tonto.” He nodded, grasped the dog’s collar, and disappeared the
same time she felt her equilibrium turn upside down. They all
transhifted right to in front of the house. “This is the place you
were talking about?” He released Tonto. The dog took off snooping
around the front yard as soon as Volund opened the gate.
    Venus shook her head, glad Volund still held onto
her. Right now she didn’t know how she stood without falling on her
face. Once the dizziness passed, she scolded, “You two have to warn
me before you do that. Yes, this is the house.” She took a deep
breath and brushed his hands away as he tried to rub her arm.
    “Damn it, I’m not a pet to be stroked,” she snapped
and spun out of his arms. She hurried up to the front porch and
reached for her handy M-16 only to realize it was back at the bank.
Between being too preoccupied and her mates whisking her away, she
hadn’t even thought of the weapon.
    “What have I done?” she grumbled.
    Tonto sniffed around the porch until Venus moved up
the stairs. He sat in front of her as if sensing her stress. He
thumped his tail against the porch planks and nudged her hand with
his nose.
    “How could I forget, Tonto?” He cocked his head to
the side and whined.
    She sighed and closed her eyes, needing to get her
mind back in working order. She wouldn’t survive long if this kept
up. “Jaxxon, I’m sorry. I hate feeling sick, weak, and
unorganized.” Venus opened her eyes and stared up at him.
    “You do not have to apologize. We know this is
difficult for you, and we are here to help you. Let us.”
    “I never go out without my weapon. If it’s one thing
I could always count on it was my ability to think straight, but
now I don’t know what’s going on.”
    Volund materialized next to her with her M-16 and
handed it over. “Here, little warrior, I transhifted back and got
it. You know we would do anything for you.” He leaned down and
kissed her cheek. “Come on, let us go explore this house, shall
we?” He crooked his elbow, offering to escort her inside.
    She swung her weapon across her shoulder and patted
Volund’s arm. “I can’t wait to explore.”
    Jaxxon tried the door handle, but it was locked. That
didn’t stop him from transhifting to inside the home. He opened the
door and bowed before her.
    Laughing, she moved inside, following Tonto who ran
in before her. Venus walked into what was once a grand family room
with a large stone fireplace still intact. “That is going to have
to go. I don’t want anything catching on fire, and God knows what
fumes would be