Colliding Worlds Trilogy 01 - Collision Read online

  Suddenly, Ace pushed her away. “For fuck’s sake. Give me a needle and thread already,” he muttered.

  “But Doc should do that,” she replied.

  He gave her a half smile before winking.

  With a wary eye, Sienna backed off and sifted through the supplies for a small pre-sealed bag labeled Suture Kit. She tore it open and held it out for Ace. He grabbed the bag and threaded the needle like a pro. She stared while he played doctor on his own body. “Geez, Ace. Sure I can’t help?”

  “Nah, I got it,” he replied. His hands were steady, although his voice was tight. Stitching his own wound had to hurt like a bitch.

  Sienna heard the screen door open, and she stepped out into the hallway to see a Sephian soldier walking into the kitchen.

  “Wait up, Sana,” Sienna called out to the soldier.

  The Sephian woman stopped, turned, and faced her. “What can I do for you, Sienna?”

  “Get Apolo and his trinity and Doc up here right away. Also, on your way out, send in two able bodies. Oh, and make sure they’re Sephian.”

  Sana jumped into gear quickly and without question.

  Sienna stepped into the kitchen and rummaged through cabinets. She stopped when she found what she was looking for. An old bottle of whiskey she’d bought when she wanted to kill her pain, back when she had dumbly thought booze could drown the memories of Bobby, at least for a while. Instead, all the stuff did was guarantee a lousy hangover.

  She carried the Texas fifth into the bedroom, and Ace’s eyes lit up. “That’s my kind of medicine,” he said as he reached out for the bottle.

  Sienna handed him the bottle and bent down and examined his new stitches. “Impressive.”

  “They don’t call me Ace for nothing,” he replied before taking a long draw and handing the bottle back to her.

  Sienna stepped over to the bed, where Legian had also finished patching up Jax. She offered the bottle. Without looking at her, Jax swung his legs over the side of the bed. He grunted and held his side as he dragged himself to his feet. Then he grabbed the bottle and walked out the room without even looking her in the eye.

  She watched him leave and then turned to Legian and then Ace. The solemn look on their faces kept her from going after the human member of her trinity. To keep her hands busy, she pulled together the supplies, shoving them back into the plastic pouch. Ace headed into the bathroom, and she could hear water running. He came out moments later, the blood washed from his hands.

  She looked down at her hands. Blood. Strange that she hadn’t even noticed it before. The sight of it didn’t bother her. And that was what scared her. She’d changed. And she wasn’t sure it was for the better.

  Two Sephians stepped into the bedroom and froze when the saw the body on the floor.

  Sienna pointed to the body of who had been one of her closest friends. “Get rid of that.”

  Some days she wished were like Groundhog Day, where she could get a do-over. Today would have been one of those days. Whoever said ignorance was bliss really nailed it. Yesterday, Risa was her friend. Today, Risa tried to kill her. A part of Sienna would always love the traitor. And hate her.

  She’d been through a lot in the past few months, but today she felt like she lost her innocence. Betrayal did that to a person. She had a feeling she could never become the trusting Sienna she’d used to be. She was a different woman. Jaded.

  She watched without emotion as one of the men grabbed Risa’s body by the shoulders and the other by her feet, and they carried her out of the cabin and out of her sight. She didn’t know what they would do with the body. The truth was, she didn’t care. Someone she’d considered a friend had caused the death of hundreds of Sephians. That was unforgiveable.

  Sienna walked into the bathroom and scrubbed her hands. Even after she knew they were clean, she kept scrubbing. Tried to wash away Risa’s betrayal that had seeped under her skin. The med-tec’s actions made no sense to her. She was the hand that led to the ambush, the base attack, and who knows what else. Hundreds of deaths would rest on her soul. What in the world could lead someone to do something so terrible?

  Sienna didn’t stop scrubbing until her hands had turned red from scrubbing at them. She turned off the water and grabbed a towel. It seemed that death surrounded her, followed her. After she was dead and gone, would she be thought of as a great leader, a traitor to her kind, or the devil itself?

  She hung the towel back on its hook and didn’t realize Legian had come in until he wrapped his arms around her. She started before sinking into his embrace.

  “You okay?” he asked as he rocked her to a silent rhythm.

  “Depends. Seems like I need to redefine ‘okay’ every day.”

  He held her, saying nothing. She felt his love pouring through her, and like always, it was her anchor.

  “But, yeah, I’m okay. You?” She turned around in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist. She held him. She didn’t want to pull away. With Legian, she felt safe. But safe didn’t cut it. Not anymore.

  He responded by tightening his embrace and kissing the top of her head.

  With a deep breath, she broke the connection. “I should check on Jax.”

  “Want me to come with you?”

  She shook her head. “It may be better if just one of us go. How about you stay here and search through Risa’s things. See if you can find out if she had anything else underway. It would be good to know more details before Apolo gets here.”

  “As you wish,” he whispered before kissing her forehead.

  • • •

  It took Sienna the better part of an hour to find Jax passed out with the empty bottle of whiskey by his side. With a bit of help from a Ranger on patrol, she was able to get Jax back into his bedroom, although she wasn’t sure he’d appreciate the reminder once he awoke.

  “Unexpected turn of events,” Apolo said as she pulled a blanket to cover Jax.

  They made eye contact, and she stepped out the room, clicking the door shut behind her. Apolo followed her to the living room where his trinity, Doc, and Legian waited.

  “Doc, Jax has a laser burn on his hip, and Ace patched up a cut on his own shoulder. They both need to be checked,” she said before she sat down next to the remaining member of her trinity.

  “As you know, I’m not skilled in human medicine, but I’ll see what I can do. Where do I go?”

  She nodded down the hallway, and he hustled off in that direction.

  She sat there and scanned the faces in the room. Finally, she blurted out the words. “We found the traitor.”

  Apolo leaned forward, eyeing her with interest.

  “It was Risa, the med-tec.”

  Murmurs filled the room.

  She heard a gasp from the hallway. She looked to see Doc holding a hand to his mouth in shock. He clenched his fists, closed his eyes shook his head.

  “Doc, Jax needs you now,” Sienna called out.

  The doctor jerked up. Nodded and muttered, “Yes, yes,” repetitively as he stumbled to the guest room and disappeared. She had no doubt he’d blame himself — just like Jax — for not figuring Risa out earlier. She imagined there would be too much self-blame going around for a while. That’s what happened when someone close betrayed you. Someone had to be blamed. And if Risa was already dead, people would blame themselves.

  But not Sienna. She had enough stuff in her life beating her up already. Guilt wasn’t going to get added to that list.

  She turned back to the room and continued. “Unfortunately, we were forced to kill her before we could get much information from her. So we still have no guarantees that she was operating on her own.”

  “What we did learn was disturbing,” Legian added, and she turned to him. “Risa told us that Hillas lives.”

  The murmurs in the room turned into an uproar, and Sephians cussed and questioned Legian for more information.

  Sienna patted the air down with her hands, trying to quiet the room. “She could hav
e been lying, although she had no reason to lie at that point.”

  Apolo pinched his nose with his fingers before standing. “This changes nothing. We have always suspected the Draeken tyrant survived the war. This news substantiates that suspicion. But in the past Hillas never allowed Roden the kind of authority he’s shown us lately. There is something afoot in the Draeken camp.”

  “We will question the prisoner.” At Sienna’s words, the entire room turned to her.

  Apolo began pacing the floor. He was like Legian in that way. “We’ll question Talla, sure enough. But I know that one. She won’t give us anything we need.” He turned on his heel when he came to the window, stopped, and faced the room. “Without my scout, we are blind to Draeken operations. We can only hope we repaid the favor in kind today.”

  “Still no news yet from your scout?” Sienna asked with an optimistic raise of her eyebrows.

  He shook his head. “I have to assume he is no longer viable.”

  “Sorry to hear that.” Her words were barely above a whisper. Even though Apolo remained stoic, the news — or lack of — from his scout hit him hard. Legian mentioned the pair had worked together many years. Even though he was Draeken, the scout was one of Apolo’s closest, most trusted friends. But, because he was Draeken, Legian would never be able to admit that to anyone. It sucked and wasn’t fair and was too much like she’d seen happen time and again on her own planet. Instead of wings, it was religion or color or some other bullshit excuse.

  She leaned back into the comfort of the couch while Apolo spoke about the new alliance. Both the Americans and Brits were on board, but she didn’t think for one instant that it would be easy. Nightmares of power struggles, red tape, and deception already filled her dreams.

  • • •

  The next morning, after spending the entire night talking with his trinity about the Draeken threat, Apolo returned to the base. Sienna was exhausted but happy. A lot had been discussed and even more had been accomplished. It had been a good night.

  Jax stumbled out of the bedroom. Legian and she sat on the couch, watching him as they ate breakfast. He looked like hell had frozen over as he sifted through the cabinets. After going through several cabinets, he slammed one shut and turned to glare at her.

  “Don’t you have anything to fucking drink in this place?”

  I will not kill Jax. I will not kill Jax. She repeated the mantra in her mind until she was relatively sure that she wouldn’t. She handed her plate to Legian and walked into the kitchen, using her cane for support. She opened the fridge, pulled out a soda, and tossed it to Jax.

  Jax ignored the can that flew past his shoulder. His bloodshot eyes fired daggers. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I know exactly what you meant, and that won’t fly here,” she replied. “Come with me.”

  At first he looked like he wanted to shoot her, but then the soldier in him amped up and he followed her through the kitchen and down the stairs to the basement. The basement was small, used more as a wine cellar than anything. It cost a small fortune to build one in the rock-laden ground of Arkansas, and the construction company had balked at her request. But she had grown up in the Midwest and considered a basement a must-have anywhere with even a remote chance for a tornado. She never imagined it could double as a makeshift prison.

  The Draeken prisoner sat on the floor with the black band-like material the Sephians used attached around her neck and wrists. The other end of the band was locked onto the steel I-beam. There was enough room in the cord for her to walk around without being choked, but no more than a few feet in any direction. Just far enough to reach the tiny bathroom. Something Sienna had specifically requested from the construction company. And she felt completely redeemed seeing its value now. The Sephians were going to give the prisoner a bucket, which was not only gross but against her morals, let alone the Geneva Convention. Thank God for indoor plumbing.

  The Draeken prisoner’s name was all the information she’d share willingly, and the one thing they’d already known. Talla didn’t even look up when Sienna reached the bottom of the stairs. The Sephian guarding her, on the other hand, came to attention immediately. Sana, the consummate soldier. Way too rigid, that one.

  “We won’t need any more guards down here right now.” At the sound of her voice, everyone in the room looked at her, including the prisoner. Sienna turned to Jax. “The prisoner is Lieutenant Jerrick’s responsibility now.”

  Jax’s jaw dropped, and he clenched his fists. “I don’t think this is a good idea, Sienna,” he gritted out.

  She stood her ground, at full height. She could feel every eye in that underground room on her. “It’s not an idea. It’s an order. I don’t care how you do it, this prisoner is now on your shoulders. Got it?”

  His eyes narrowed at her, and they stayed in the standoff for what felt like minutes. Then, he abruptly came to attention. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Sana will keep an eye on the prisoner until you clean up. Get some greasy food and caffeine in you.”

  It was his turn to stand his ground. “I’m good to go.”

  “Fine. You can grab something when you assign other guards.”

  Without a word, he walked to Sana, who handed him a com device. She headed upstairs with a look of relief. Jax fastened the device around his throat, grabbed a folding chair, and carried it over. He opened it and sat down, his forearms resting on the seat back, and faced Talla. She sat there, glaring at Jax, then at her.

  “Who do you think you are? The queen or something?” she snapped, at the same time backing away from Jax. The soldier’s glare was obviously making her uncomfortable.

  Sienna put her hands on her hips and grinned at the prisoner. “Yeah. I’m the queen of slapping the fuck out of Draeken. Co-ruling the Sephians is just my day job. Draeken slapping is my career. Your boss took my best friend. So I’m a little cranky about that. I’d watch my step if I were you.”

  Talla continued to glare at Sienna, but her eyes kept jerking back to Jax.

  Sienna held out a soda she’d grabbed before coming down. “Got this covered, Jax?”

  “Covered,” he muttered from his chair and took the can from her hand.

  She took one last look at Talla, who was now deep in a stare-down with Jax. Her wings ruffled in frustration. She looked royally pissed off … and a bit fearful?

  Sienna turned to the stairs, pausing before taking the first step. “Oh, and one more thing.” She waited for his eyes to meet hers. “Don’t kill her. Yet.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Sienna was amazed that even though she’d just had two of the best orgasms of her life, she wanted more. She’d never get enough of her tahren. Legian pulled her against him, and they spooned, snagging what precious little time they had together before it was back to work. He’d learned about spooning not long after they first met, and it had become a ritual ever since.

  Oddly, moving back to the base felt a bit like moving home. For the first time in her life, everything felt in balance. The Sephian base was now operating around the clock, with Sienna in command of the Sephian force during the days, and Legian taking over Apolo’s role at night. After a week back on her original human sleep pattern, she’d been waking up more refreshed and energized. Several military units had moved to the base and now covered the day shift, while half of the Sephians — her half — remained and supported the base at night, but some Sephians were still needed during the day for operations. Too many changes and short tempers made much of her day job schoolyard patrol.

  Legian’s arm lay loosely over her. She traced the mark that swirled around his forearm. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”

  “Someday, my sweet.”

  Unfortunately, this wasn’t someday. Her best friend was still missing, she had an army to lead, and the shadow of the Draeken threat smothered her nearly every thought.

  Music blared from the nightstand. Startled, Sienna grabbed her new smart phone. “Sienna speaking.�
��

  “Sienna! So good to hear your voice.”

  Sienna pulled the phone away and stared at it a moment before it bringing it back to her ear. It had been months since she’d heard from her mother. “Kat? Where are you?”

  “Of course it’s me, sweetie. I’m back in the States, and I got your messages. We must talk, Sienna. We’ve so much to talk about.”

  “Things are a bit crazy right now, but — ”

  “No buts, dear. It’s important we talk today. In fact, I’m already in Texarkana.”

  Sienna ran a hand through her hair. Her mother’s timing seriously sucked, what with her first month on the job and all. But Kat was still her mother, so she’d make things work. Somehow. “Yeah, sure. I’ll send someone to pick you at Filly’s at noon. Sound good?”

  “Perfect. See you soon, sweetie. Love you.”

  “Love you too, Kat.”

  Sienna sat there for a moment before setting the phone down. She nudged Legian’s arm. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

  He mumbled some kind of response.

  “How would you like to meet my mother tonight?”

  He brushed her hair to the side and kissed her shoulder. “The woman who created you must be an amazing woman. It would be an honor to meet my tahren’s mother.”

  “Already with the schmoozing,” she murmured before climbing out of bed. “Sweet dreams. I’ll bring Kat with me to first meal tonight.”

  “Is bringing her to the base wise?”

  “I’ll check with Sommers, and, I’ll have her brought in blind-folded. Besides, she’ll be assigned restricted Press Access.” Over the past week, Sienna had been working with Major Sommers to establish access badges for the visitors who were bound to start checking out Earth’s latest additions. Inquisitive Kat would be a great way to test security.

  Sienna turned, but Legian grabbed her wrist, pulling her down to him. “Until tonight then,” he whispered, his breath soft against her neck. Then he kissed her long and soft on the lips before finally releasing her and rolling over, taking much of the blankets with him.