Colliding Worlds Trilogy 01 - Collision Page 17

  Bente leaned forward stiffly and examined the image. “Recon.”

  “Do we know if they’re drawing the human women to this location, or are they capturing them and then bringing them there?” Legian asked.

  “We believe they are being drawn there. The com-tec said that this large room here is used as an entertainment venue.” Apolo’s fingers brushed over the display he wore on his forearm. He paused to read whatever was displayed. “It’s called Mayhem. Tanel says it’s called a ‘Goth’ club. He’s researching it now.”

  “It’s a night club where folks in dark clothes get together to hang out, dance, drink, and what not,” Sienna explained. “I’ve always wanted to check one out.”

  Jax ran a hand through his hair. The guy looked like he was made for drades. The dark wraparound glasses only added to his raw sex appeal. While Sienna, on the other hand, felt like a total poser wearing them. “It would be too easy to drug women’s drinks in a dark bar.”

  She jerked at the truth in his words. The idea of drugging someone pissed her off. It was one thing to fight someone face to face. But taking advantage of someone like that felt dishonest. “Dammit. You’re right. They probably use something like roofies. From there, they could restrain the poor girls throughout the pregnancy.” She fidgeted with the bandana on her wrist while she spoke her thoughts.

  “But the simplest plan would be to let the girls go,” she continued. “They wouldn’t even need to keep their victims more than a couple hours. Just long enough to tag ‘em and bag ‘em. The girls would never know what hit them. Basically, it would be a breed-and-release program. If they picked carefully, the poor things would think they got knocked up off a one-night stand. The Draeken could sit back and wait until their nine months are up, and then go in and take the infants.” Sienna leaned back and shook her head. “That’s wrong in so many ways.”

  “I think the victims would catch on when ultra-sounds showed extra appendages,” Jax added on.

  Legian wrapped an arm around Sienna. He did that whenever he was stressed. And with the clenched jaw, he was definitely looking stressed. “Hybrids likely wouldn’t develop wings. But we can’t know for sure yet. You make a valid point. They likely restrain the victims.”

  “We can get intel from a distance to see the amount of traffic the place gets, but we’d need to get up close and personal to know for sure,” Nalea said.

  Sienna glanced up at her friend. She hadn’t noticed how Nalea had nearly lost her Sephian accent. Before long she’d fit in like any other American. Well, except the golden skin and black eyes. That would still be a bit of a problem. Contacts would hide the eyes, but there was no realistic looking makeup they’d found yet to do the trick to their skin.

  Apolo nodded. “We need to get an inside look. That is why I asked you two to join us tonight.” He looked from Jax to Sienna at the same time Legian’s grip tightened on her shoulder. “Jax and Sienna will be our scouts. You two will enter the club. You will then gain access to verify the Draeken have set up a facility here.”

  Jax used his fingers to move through the floor plan. Even with this being his first time using the technology, he operated it like a pro. “I’ll need to know what I’m looking for as well as their usual security measures.”

  Nalea rubbed her neck. “Trust me. You’ll know. Draeken technology is far more advanced than human technology. It will be hard to miss. But I can show you common equipment to look for. As for security, assume the worst.”

  Bente looked Sienna up and down, and she frowned at him. He frowned back. “If it is a Draeken facility, they will have surveillance throughout and around the building. It will be critical to blend in. Sienna’s soullare will give her away immediately.”

  “And Roden’s seen her before. If they have any kind of professional op going on, we’ll be busted before we walk through the door,” Jax chimed in. “Instead of Sienna, I’ll take another Ranger who’s better trained for this sort of thing.”

  Sienna held up a finger. “First, with the right clothes, you can’t see an inch of my soullare. With some hair color and makeup, my own mother wouldn’t recognize me.” She held up a second finger. “And two tough guys walking into a Goth club alone will look a hell of a lot more suspicious than a couple.”

  “But with a shit leg, you still put the mission at risk.”

  She narrowed her eyes at Bente, aka Mr. Pessimist. “Doc has been working up a new brace for my leg. He thought he could have it ready by tomorrow. I’ll be able to go without a cane. He says I might not even have a limp when I wear it.” She turned to Apolo. “Give me a shot. I won’t let you down. I swear it.”

  While Legian was always the strong silent type, he had kept more quiet than usual during the conversation. Sienna glanced at him, and he stared straight ahead in a daze. She leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He jerked in response. “You still with us?” she asked.

  He looked over her face. “I don’t like this. Not one bit.”

  “Understandable. After all, I’m basically bait.” She smiled and ran her thumb over his jaw line. He didn’t return the smile. “I’m also one of only a handful of humans on this base as well as the only female human. And the only one with a built-in connection with a Sephian. It’s going to be fine. You said it yourself. I’ve been getting better in training. And I’ll have Jax with me. He’s trained for this sort of thing. He’s a super commando.”

  “Army Ranger Special Forces,” Jax chimed in.

  “See? Besides, I have no doubt my tahren will be somewhere very nearby.”

  Legian leaned down, his forehead touching hers. “Suvaste. You better believe it.”

  Someone cleared their throat. Sienna looked up to see Apolo watching them while impatiently rapping his fingers on the screen. “We’ll have analysis back from the com-tec by tomorrow. We’ll reconvene after second meal to finalize preparations. In the meantime, get some rest. You’ll need it.”

  Whatever he typed caused the screen to go blank. He tapped out a few more keystrokes. The lights switched back to normal, and the mild vibration disappeared. Apolo cut through the door to his bedroom, leaving his trinity without another word. Everyone stood, Bente taking as long as Sienna to get to his feet. Legian and she followed the others out of the room.

  Going deep into Draeken country scared the beejeezus out of her. But Sienna wasn’t going to complain. Hell, she was finally getting the chance to make a difference.

  There was no way she’d let her new people down.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Please, Lord. Keep me steadfast in my faith.

  Sienna made a quick sign of the cross when Jax pulled the car to a stop, and the valet stepped forward.

  “I’m impressed, Sienna. You’ll fit in perfect.”

  “You clean up pretty decent yourself.” In fact, Sienna was surprised at how well Jax Gothed up. They used matching deep red and black hair color, and he even let her use kohl eyeliner on him. He wore black leathers, shit kickers, and a tight black tee. The only thing sexier than a man in black leathers was if that man happened to be Legian.

  The valet opened the car door, and she tore her thoughts back to the present. He held out his gloved hand and helped her out of the car, her steel-toed black leather boots making a solid thump on the sidewalk. She then waited at the curb, dressed all in black, from the leather strapless corset over a black satin shirt to the full-length skirt hiding her new leg brace.

  A hodgepodge of black plastic-like straps, the brace looked more like some kind of S-and-M bondage toy. Amazing technology. The kinetic bands collected energy from her body, which was then converted into power for the brace to enhance her muscles. With the new brace, she didn’t even limp, let alone feel pain.

  The brace was more than a piece of hardware. It was an extension of her body. Sienna’s old cane was obsolete, but she’d kept it anyway. Hung the thing on her wall to remind her of the risks she faced.

  Jax to walked around the car and held out an arm
, which she looped her hand through. His nose ring caught the light as he watched her like he was measuring how badly she was going to screw up. “Ready to do this?”

  “I have a knife in each boot, a gun tucked into my garter, a tracker in my corset, and I’m wearing an earpiece. So yeah, I think I’m ready.”

  “Legian is one lucky man,” he muttered.

  Sienna could barely hear Legian’s affirmation in her ear over the bass radiating from the club. She stayed in Jax’s arm even though she knew any physical contact with another male shot jealousy through Legian. She figured her tahren would be festering right about now. But this mission wasn’t about being easy on Legian. She needed to be close to hear Jax. And she needed everything to look real. Besides, is it wrong to get just a little turned on by Legian’s I-am-male-hear-me-roar protectiveness?

  Jax handed the doorman a couple large bills. The man unhooked a red rope, and they stepped under neon Mayhem sign written in dripping blood-red letters. They strolled past two more large doormen, and then down a long, dark hallway, which opened up to a huge ballroom. Everything was exactly as the floor plan had showed.

  So far, so good.

  It was Sienna’s first time in a Goth club, and she took in the decadent scenery. Tall crimson velvet curtains draped down the twenty-foot black walls. Deep red couches and dark cherry tables were scattered across a floor packed wall-to-wall with dark-haired, dark-dressed people.

  Some people lounged on the couches, drinking, talking, making out, and all combinations of those things. Many more were on the dance floor, gyrating to rave music with a bold, dark beat. Looking down from the top of the stairs, the dance floor reminded her of a subdued mosh pit. She felt herself swaying to the haunting, almost drug-like beat that vibrated through her body.

  Jax nuzzled her ear with his nose. “Don’t stare. This is our kind of place, remember?”

  She closed her eyes and inhaled the cool air, which contained a hint of incense. She opened her eyes with a seductive smile. “Just getting the vibe of the place. I wonder …” She put a painted fingernail to her lips. “I wonder if the guards at the door are to keep folks out or to keep folks in.”

  Jax’s lips tightened, and he didn’t look like he was entirely sure himself.

  “C’mon,” she said, leading him toward the stairs. “Let’s get a drink.”

  With a nod, he took the lead from there. Down the wide stairs and straight to the bar. The bartender’s eyes gave Sienna a full-body look. Whatever he saw must have satisfied him because he leaned closer with a flirty grin. “What will you have, sweets?”

  “I’ll have a tawny port. Aged at least ten-years,” she said, licking her lips under a flirty gaze.

  The bartender winked at her, and then turned a cool appraisal onto Jax.

  “Templeton Rye on the rocks.”

  The guy nodded and went about getting their drinks while Sienna swayed in beat to the music that would no doubt leave her ears ringing for days.

  A glint of metal caught her eye. She glanced over at a girl with a dozen piercings. Dressed in a micro-mini leather skirt and strapless corset covered in a skull print, she fit right in with the crowd. What kept Sienna’s attention, however, was the tattoo that spanned the girl’s shoulder. It was of an angel in flight. Only this angel didn’t have feathers on its wings. Instead, its dragon-like wings were covered in tattoos. Bingo.

  Sienna eyed Jax, and he gave a glance that he was thinking the same thing. She nudged the petite girl. “Sick ink.”

  The girl grinned and glanced over her shoulder, admiring her own work. “Thanks. Got it done last week.”

  “Haven’t seen a demon done like that before. With all the marks and stuff.”

  “I know. Isn’t he sexy? His name is Laze. He takes the best care of me. And he is incredible.” She said the last word with an over-exaggerated bend of her knees.

  Sienna batted playfully at her. “No fucking way. You met a real demon? Get outta here.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re new here, aren’t you?”

  “Virgin. New in town.”

  The girl nodded. “Hang out here long enough. Maybe you’ll see for yourself.”

  Sienna must have looked pretty doubtful because the girl grabbed Sienna by her arms and looked her in the eye. “At first they come to you in your dreams, only they’re not really dreams. Then it’s real. And the things they do to you …” She shivered before playfully running a finger down Sienna’s neck, sending sensual goose bumps across her skin. The girl smiled. “You’re a bit old, but you’re hot. Maybe you’ll find out for yourself. After all, they need us,” the girl whispered with a brush of his lips against her ear.

  Sienna cocked her head at the other woman. “Need us?”

  Tat-girl gave her a knowing smile. “You’ll find out if you’re chosen. Trust me, you would never have to worry about money or anything ever again. That’s how good they take care of us.”

  Sienna’s brows raised. As she opened her mouth to speak, Jax handed her the sipper of wine, and then wrapped an arm around her waist. Tat-girl watched Jax like he was her feast and it was Thanksgiving.

  Jax gave her a flirty half smile. “If you don’t mind, I need this woman for a dance.”

  With that, he tugged Sienna forward.

  “It’s been real,” Sienna said as she turned toward the dance floor. The poor girl was probably already pregnant by her demon lover and didn’t even know it yet. Sienna made a mental note to remember the name Laze. When she found the guy, she was going to kick him in the nuts for pulling that shit with Sienna’s people.

  Jax put a hand on her hip, and Sienna led the way to an open sofa near the wall. Old fashioned drop-lights hung from the ceiling, shedding just enough yellowish light that she didn’t trip over anyone. She’d gotten pretty good over the past few months at not crashing into things in the dark. Moving around this club was a piece of cake compared to getting around the base without her drades.

  The leather corset creaked against the leather sofa as she sat down and propped her boots up on the coffee table, crossing her ankles. Jax sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her. To anyone else, they looked like any other hot-and-heavy couple watching the scene.

  “Why the rush?” Sienna asked. “I was getting good intel at the bar.”

  “The bartender was beginning to eye you like you were a news reporter,” Jax replied before narrowing his eyes in concentration.

  “Oh,” she replied.

  Static sounded in her ear, but she couldn’t make out any words. It was nearly impossible to hear Legian’s transmissions over the music even without the static. Taking the smallest sip of wine, she did her best to fit in while listening for more to come out through her earpiece.

  “Repeat last.” Jax spoke to her, although she knew he wasn’t talking to her.

  Again, a garbled response came through her earpiece.

  “No joy,” Jax replied with a frown. “We’re on our own.”

  “Well, that’s a bit of an overstatement, don’t you think? I’m sure your old army buddies are hanging around here somewhere.”

  He tensed. “What are you talking about?”

  She turned to face him rather than the crowd dancing in front of them. “I’m not stupid, Jax. How many others are here?”

  Jax yanked Sienna closer and held her against him. While others would think he was tasting her neck, it felt anything but sensual. “Understand this,” he hissed. “My priority is to our people, our country. I have never inferred otherwise. I informed my CO of this mission because there are humans involved. Just as I inform him of all my activities with the Sephians. It’s my duty to share any information that may protect our people from all threats — domestic and foreign.”

  She ran a hand through his spiked hair before patting his cheek. “Chill, Cujo. I’m cool with it. No matter what you think, we’re on the same side.”

  His grip loosened, and he leaned back, resting an arm over the back of the couch. He watched the
crowd for several moments before speaking again. “Things are a cluster fuck right now.”

  She swirled her wine. “Trust me. It doesn’t get any easier.”

  Jax gave her a weak smile. “Welcome to hell, huh?”

  “Looking around us, that pretty much nails it. So …” She stretched out the word over a couple seconds. “How’s Risa?”

  “Doc’s no longer an issue.”

  Sienna frowned. “I don’t know what you — ” Her eyes widened. “Oh. Shit. Damn. Sorry, Jax. I thought Doc was just a flirt.”

  Jax shook his head. “There was more than flirting. And I got tired of that shit.”

  “How long did you know?”

  He turned back to her and raised an eyebrow.

  “Yeah. I guess you probably knew from the get-go. The base is pretty small. And you are a Ranger.” She put a hand on his knee. “Well, I’m glad she got her act together. You two make a cute couple.”

  Jax replied by taking a drink of his whiskey.

  Sienna looked back toward the bar. “You know, I’m pretty sure the Draeken are actually banging the chicks here. In the Biblical sense. No hiding. No artificial insemination. No roofies, either. From what tat-girl said, she vividly remembered the whole experience. And she sounded like a pretty satisfied customer.”

  Jax nodded. “These guys may have found the perfect crowd where they’d be not only accepted but worshipped.”

  “I think they use that to their advantage. She talked about Laze like he was a god.”

  “Laze?”

  “AKA Mr. Incubus inked on her back.”

  Jax nodded and stared off into the crowd, running a hand up and down Sienna’s arm while he scanned the club. He had one leg crossed over the other. Even though she knew he felt otherwise, he looked right at home. He handled himself so well she couldn’t help but relax against him. She had become entranced by an androgynous couple on the dance floor when a waitress with way too much eyeliner stepped in front of her line of sight.

  “Can I get you two anything?”

  “We’re good,” Jax said, and the waitress moved onto the next table without so much as a smile.