Read Lovers of the Galaxy, Book Two: Bounty Hunters of the Heart for Free Online Page A
Authors: Trinity Blacio
camp, we will continue our discussion in our quarters.”
With a low snarl, Oshki approached and held his hand
out to Ino, who trotted over with trepidation, obviously sensing
his fury.
“Do not scare the animals,” Miln admonished. “They
have no part in our disagreement.”
“Do not speak to me. I cannot bear to even look at
you right now.” With that, Oskhi retrieved his tool belt and
trans-shifted, taking Ino with him.
Pain sliced through him. He loved Oshki, but how
could he be mated to a warrior who couldn’t see reason? With a
thick heaviness in the center of his chest, he patted Ka. “Let us
go. I have a feeling we are needed.”
As if the animal understood, it issued a plaintive
whine.
“I know how you feel.” He scooped up his tool belt
and then gripped the pet’s collar. “Time to go deal with trouble.”
With that, he trans-shifted to base.
Chapter Seven
The wail of the bank’s security system assaulted
Miln’s ears as he materialized on the ground floor. He glimpsed
Oshki running across the front room past the strange cutout windows
of one wall and then to the door leading to the back hall. With Ino
and Ka growling at either side of him, he sprinted after his
mate.
Once he reached the lab just steps behind Oshki, he
halted at the scene before him. At the entrance to the confinement
cell, Venus stood wringing her hands as her mates examined the
damaged door.
Dread washed over him. “What happened here?”
She spun on her heel, but upon seeing them naked, her
anxious expression shifted to one of surprise. “Uh…the Bone Eater
escaped. Somehow it got out of its bindings and then knew enough to
pull the pins from the door to get out of the cell. It did the same
to the back exit. That’s what set the alarm off.”
“It appears the creatures are more intelligent that
you thought,” Oshki observed.
“I know and that scares the hell out of me.” She
brightened when her mates returned. “Did you find which way the
B.E. went?”
The brothers both shook their heads.
“Your test subject is long gone,” Volund
explained.
Picking up the hinge pins from the floor, Jaxxon
examined them and then motioned for his brother to help him set the
door up. Quickly, he slipped the pins into the slots and used a
tool from his belt to hammer them in place again.
“I never even thought of the hinges,” Venus said more
to herself than anyone else. “It didn’t occur to me that the Bone
Eaters might have some intelligence above an animal’s, or perhaps
remember how to do some things from their human lives.”
“It is a simple matter of replacing the doors with
something more secure.” Miln tried calming her.
She nodded, her lower lip trembling. “All that
work…for nothing. Now I’ll have to start over on a different test
subject.”
He was glad that his brother-friends sandwiched her
between them, hugging her tightly. In her condition, she needed all
the comforting she could get.
Meeting his gaze under Jaxxon’s arm, she asked, “Why
are you two naked?”
“We were…uh….” Oshki glanced at him. “Trying on Old
West clothing when he suddenly sensed there was trouble here.”
She quirked a fine eyebrow at him and then at Oshki.
“Right.”
The brothers chuckled, but politely kept their gazes
trained elsewhere.
Thankful for their discreetness, Miln announced, “We
should finish packing our gear. We will check in later.”
Trans-shifting, Oshki vanished, leaving him to deal
with any last, uncomfortable questions that might be asked.
***
Miln returned to their living quarters. There, he
found his mate already gathering gear, supplies, and the items
needed to travel back in time. Oshki placed their silver travel
packs full of Old West attire on the table. He glanced up at him,
eyes flinty with anger. Quickly, he turned and strode into their
sleeping area for their Azutuan clothing. When he returned with
everything, he tossed Miln’s tilk on the floor at his
With a low snarl, Oshki approached and held his hand
out to Ino, who trotted over with trepidation, obviously sensing
his fury.
“Do not scare the animals,” Miln admonished. “They
have no part in our disagreement.”
“Do not speak to me. I cannot bear to even look at
you right now.” With that, Oskhi retrieved his tool belt and
trans-shifted, taking Ino with him.
Pain sliced through him. He loved Oshki, but how
could he be mated to a warrior who couldn’t see reason? With a
thick heaviness in the center of his chest, he patted Ka. “Let us
go. I have a feeling we are needed.”
As if the animal understood, it issued a plaintive
whine.
“I know how you feel.” He scooped up his tool belt
and then gripped the pet’s collar. “Time to go deal with trouble.”
With that, he trans-shifted to base.
Chapter Seven
The wail of the bank’s security system assaulted
Miln’s ears as he materialized on the ground floor. He glimpsed
Oshki running across the front room past the strange cutout windows
of one wall and then to the door leading to the back hall. With Ino
and Ka growling at either side of him, he sprinted after his
mate.
Once he reached the lab just steps behind Oshki, he
halted at the scene before him. At the entrance to the confinement
cell, Venus stood wringing her hands as her mates examined the
damaged door.
Dread washed over him. “What happened here?”
She spun on her heel, but upon seeing them naked, her
anxious expression shifted to one of surprise. “Uh…the Bone Eater
escaped. Somehow it got out of its bindings and then knew enough to
pull the pins from the door to get out of the cell. It did the same
to the back exit. That’s what set the alarm off.”
“It appears the creatures are more intelligent that
you thought,” Oshki observed.
“I know and that scares the hell out of me.” She
brightened when her mates returned. “Did you find which way the
B.E. went?”
The brothers both shook their heads.
“Your test subject is long gone,” Volund
explained.
Picking up the hinge pins from the floor, Jaxxon
examined them and then motioned for his brother to help him set the
door up. Quickly, he slipped the pins into the slots and used a
tool from his belt to hammer them in place again.
“I never even thought of the hinges,” Venus said more
to herself than anyone else. “It didn’t occur to me that the Bone
Eaters might have some intelligence above an animal’s, or perhaps
remember how to do some things from their human lives.”
“It is a simple matter of replacing the doors with
something more secure.” Miln tried calming her.
She nodded, her lower lip trembling. “All that
work…for nothing. Now I’ll have to start over on a different test
subject.”
He was glad that his brother-friends sandwiched her
between them, hugging her tightly. In her condition, she needed all
the comforting she could get.
Meeting his gaze under Jaxxon’s arm, she asked, “Why
are you two naked?”
“We were…uh….” Oshki glanced at him. “Trying on Old
West clothing when he suddenly sensed there was trouble here.”
She quirked a fine eyebrow at him and then at Oshki.
“Right.”
The brothers chuckled, but politely kept their gazes
trained elsewhere.
Thankful for their discreetness, Miln announced, “We
should finish packing our gear. We will check in later.”
Trans-shifting, Oshki vanished, leaving him to deal
with any last, uncomfortable questions that might be asked.
***
Miln returned to their living quarters. There, he
found his mate already gathering gear, supplies, and the items
needed to travel back in time. Oshki placed their silver travel
packs full of Old West attire on the table. He glanced up at him,
eyes flinty with anger. Quickly, he turned and strode into their
sleeping area for their Azutuan clothing. When he returned with
everything, he tossed Miln’s tilk on the floor at his