Ascension Saga: 9. Grace Goodwin
been speaking. Who’d shared some interesting intel.
“Excuse us for a moment?” I said, using my Trinity-diplomat voice. “I really need to speak to Morson about a”—I ran my fingertip down the front of his uniform, over his chest. I could practically hear Nix growling—“a very personal matter.” I tugged at him, my cheeks starting to hurt from my ridiculously big smile. “If I could have a moment of your time before the meeting begins?”
He blinked, eyes rounded with a mix of suspicion and surprise. He glanced at the elder out of respect and that seemed to be enough to put her at ease.
If he was working undercover, he was good. I had to give him that. Very, very good. That one glance had preserved the woman’s trust, despite the fact that something unexpected and strange was happening. Mainly, me. Maybe he was nudging information out of her and I’d interrupted. Well, it was break up the gab fest or die.
Her head tilted to the side like a cobra about to strike, but she nodded. “Of course.”
Morson allowed me to pull him away, and I moved toward the exit doors a good five steps before he stopped me. Cold.
Damn my small size. Why wasn’t I six-foot-six and two-hundred-fifty pounds? Then I could just throw him over my shoulder and make a run for it. It wouldn’t be subtle, but it would work.
“Who are you and what do you want?” While he spoke softly so as not to draw attention, he was rigid and uncooperative. I flicked a glance over my shoulder. Nix was moving closer, but still not close enough to help. Not yet.
I turned back to find Morson’s gaze drifting over my face, the look in his eyes one I would have equated with desire, if not for the lack of a rise in his pants. These Alerans and their dormant cocks. Made them much more difficult to bullshit or seduce. False flattery and flirting was going to get me nowhere, except over Nix’s knee for a hot, toe-curling spanking.
Reaching up, I wrapped my hand around his neck, up to the back of his head, and pulled him down so my lips were pressed to his ear. He allowed my bold touch, but it felt wrong. Wrong man. Wrong scent. Wrong face too close to mine.
Whatever. This was the only way I could talk to him without fear that someone would overhear.
“My name is Destiny, and this building is going to explode in less than a minute. You need to leave with me. Now.” I grabbed his arm once more and pulled him toward the door.
He didn’t move. Not one freaking inch.
“Interesting claim from a beautiful woman,” he countered, not swayed. “How do I know you are speaking the truth? You could have an ambush set up outside those doors.”
“Don’t be an idiot,” I countered with a wave of my hand. “Move before we’re blown to bits.”
When he just stared, I took a deep breath and calmed the bitch rising inside. Tried to temper my need to flee. Tick. Tick. Tick. I could hear the bomb as clear as I could hear him.
“Fine,” I huffed, sounding like an annoyed teenager. “Stay here, get blown up. I’ll tell my sister I tried. She’s the one who told me you were one of the good guys and to save you.”
His dark brow arched. “Sister?”
“Trinity.” I slapped him on the shoulder and walked quickly toward the exit. “Not too bright, are you?”
I reached the doors. Tall. Thick. Made of some alien metal that reminded me of the vault doors in the basement of the cleric’s fortress. I had my palm on the handle when he came up beside me. “Who are you? Truly?”
Nix moved into place on my right and saved me from responding. I hated to repeat myself. Especially when I’d already told Morson once, and he was just being thick-headed. Perhaps, cautious. I couldn’t blame him in his line of work, but right now there was no time. Nix wrapped his arm around my waist and I leaned into him. Just for a moment.
It was enough. I was home.
“We have seconds, Des,” he murmured, his fingers tightening. While his words were calm, he was anything but. “Hurry.”
Morson glanced at Nix over my head and whispered, “She is truly the third princess?”
I tugged at the door handle. It didn’t budge. Houston, we have a problem. “Nix, it’s locked. Shit.”
I lifted my hands and Nix took my place, straining against the door as he applied his entire body weight to the handle.
“Check my comm,” Nix ordered.
I did, the screen plainly visible to me once I lifted it from his pocket. “Thirty-two. Thirty-one. Thirty.”
Nix pushed harder, his entire body straining. I looked around us, searching for windows. Doors. Any possible way to get out of there.
“Fuck. It’s not moving,” Nix said. His breathing was ragged, his eyes a little wild.
“You were serious. About the bomb?” Morson looked from me to Nix. “And what are you doing here, Vennix?”
“Later, Morson. We have to get the fuck out of here.”
“Twenty-six.” Not that I wanted to interrupt, but we didn’t have time to chat. “We could go back.” The room we’d entered was an option, the window still open.
“Too far. We’d never make it.” Nix was right. It was on the other side of the building, and we were starting to get some odd looks, and I could hear quiet murmurs. Well, not we, Nix. He was kind of famous on this planet, his face plastered all over the news every time my sister or Faith was broadcast, standing behind them. Watchful. The ever faithful guard. That notoriety was not helpful at the moment.
“They recognize you, mate. Know you aren’t on their side. They might start shooting any second.” I hissed the words to him as I slid my own weapon free from its holster and stood just behind him, protecting his back. “Get the door open. Shoot the lock.”
“That won’t work.” Morson shoved Nix aside and pulled an oddly shaped key from his pocket. “The door will absorb the ion blast. You need a key to get in or out.”
Nix looked from Morson to the key. He was wondering why he had a key just as I was. But I wasn’t taking the time now to figure it out. “Hurry the fuck up. If my mate dies in here, I’ll kill you myself.”
Morson grinned.
Inappropriate. At least I thought so. But Nix grinned back.
Men.
Morson inserted the key and the door’s locks clicked open with a very loud series of pops, thunks and sizzling noises, like lightning bolts were moving along the frame.
I checked the comm. “Twenty. Nineteen.”
Morson opened the door. Nix tried to shove me through, but I got behind Morson and shoved him. “Trinity said to save your ass, so get out. Now.”
He had the sense not to argue. Nix held my gaze as I shouted as loudly as I could over my shoulder, “There’s a bomb. Everyone get out!”
I didn’t like any of the people in the room, knew they were evil, but I couldn’t just let them die. They deserved justice, not death.
Morson hadn’t gone very far, waiting for us, but took off again when we followed.
Nix and I sprinted. I heard commotion and heavy footfall behind us, but didn’t take time to worry about the others. They had warning. They could get their own asses out. We bolted through the front doors and dove to the ground at the first loud rumble behind us. I heard it first, diving on top of Nix, covering his body with mine. I didn’t think. Just dove, taking him down, my small frame wrapped around his upper body, protecting his torso and head the best I could. Any NFL linebacker would have been proud of my take down.
The boom blasted through me like I’d been hit full speed by a semi-truck. My eardrums ruptured